i got up early this morning to take i & e to the church to catch the gang heading to cedar point today. got back to the house... and, i don't know if it was G*D moving in me or just the freshness of the morning... but something drew me to dig through the dust to uncover my running shoes. that... plus the lingering taste of the 2 chocolate chip cookies i had before breakfast... pushed me out the door... into the car... and over to the recently opened "falling waters trail."
i knew this run would be a joke. it's been too long.
some people have been encouraging me to give-up and invest in a bike. maybe someday. but not today. i'm not quite ready to let go.
i read john 15, one of my staple passages, so i'd have something to keep my mind off the wheezing. these verses are the mother lode and critical to my journey of late.
parked the car... hid the keys. then i stretched a bit, although i'm not sure why.
the neuropathy plays tricks on my mind. so before i started, i took off my shoes to make sure my sock wasn't stuffed between some of my toes... even though i've fallen for that too many times to count. but it got me again. i'm thankful my feet are less painful than they were. not sure if that's due to improvement or to not being on them as much. either way, i'm thankful.
my nephew is an excellent runner... and helps manage a running store in ft. wayne. he told me recently he could hook me up with some shoes that are specially made for people with neuropathy. i'm guessing they're pricey... but maybe they'd be worth the extra moolah.
walked for awhile. then jogged to see how things felt.
i didn't jog far. probably just a few hundred yards. my feet didn't feel bad, but i could tell my legs could use some strengthening. i'm sure the gut i've acquired didn't help any either.
walked a bit more... jogged... walked... then picked a realistic marker in the distance and jogged some more before declaring the official half-way point for my reasonable first-time-back-in-the-saddle jog.
on my way back, i decided my last leg would be to jog all the way back to my beginning point. but that marker was around a bend... and i didn't want to start too soon, only to fail my goal. so i decided i'd wait until it came into sight before i'd begin jogging.
one of the reasons i love running so much is because it continually drops illustrations and life-lessons at my doorstep. as with any sport, dream, challenge, or pursuit... they spew images that crossover into other life-layers. personally i think it's what naturally happens when you create some space to listen... letting G*D use any language he wants to get through to our pre-occupied minds. but i can't say that i expected to have an encounter on my first day back on the trail.
"sometimes you just have to start running even if you can't see the end. and realistically... what's the big deal even if you do have to walk to the finish? would you rather play it safe... or stretch yourself?"anyway... as soon as i made the decision to hold off jogging until i could see the mark i'd picked... a quiet thought barged onto the path.
hmmmmm. i never know how to take these kinds of thoughts. but looking back, i wondered... was G*D issuing me a throw-down???
anyway, i started to jog... the end outside of my visual grasp... but locked into my imagination.
but as my sleek body glistened & glided along the trail... (literary license to mask the reality that i was lumbering along, sweating profusely)... i wrestled with another thought. a question, this time.
"what if what you think is around this bend is different? what if everything has changed?"
hmmmmmm...
I love running, it's a time of reflection and openness to hear God for me too.
Isn't Falling Waters beautiful? The city part of the trail is just a block from my house, so im very glad they improved the trail this year.
Posted by: Tim M | July 30, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Heh, Randy - God intervened even more personally than you knew when you started running again today. We, the St. Jude Memphis-to-Peoria runners started today, too. One leg is down, the second - your segment - is on the road now, and we have been truly blessed over the past 36 hours or so with the company of each other and the tangible presence of so many miracle lives. Once again this is an amazing experience. So while you are far away from us, you are also very, very close to us--present in our hearts and thoughts--and today, even for a few steps, running alongside as we all journey together.
God has promised strength for the journey, even one step at a time. For you. For us. For all who will trust Him. Keep the faith. You are in our hearts dear friend, and we expectantly await your return.
Much love to you and your family,
Kim
Posted by: Kim | July 30, 2008 at 02:23 PM
Great- I've been biking that trail for many years- even before it was "official". I'm glad you checked it out.
Posted by: Matt D. | July 30, 2008 at 02:31 PM
You evoked good memories of a time I went running with sweaty baldish guy at Detweiler. You can do it again (run) I am sure.
Running, especially the St. Jude events of mega long distances and adverse conditions, parallel a lot of the struggles we face in our lives (on a much smaller and very temporary scale however). Pushing ourselves beyond what we thought we could do and allowing God to carry us through the toughest hours (miles).
Posted by: Rick Lingenfelter | July 30, 2008 at 03:44 PM
I run when there's danger.
Posted by: JVo | July 30, 2008 at 03:55 PM
Kim & all... I actually wrote this post a couple of weeks ago... but I got your email as I was on the way for another run today. I was running with you... although I'm thinking it was a bit cooler here. Love you all!
Posted by: randy | July 30, 2008 at 04:04 PM
haha, throw-down. That happens to me when I run, too. I might have to try out this trail now...
Posted by: James | July 30, 2008 at 04:21 PM