Wednesday, July 11, 2012

He Did It Again

I'm training for a 10k.  Actually, I'm training for a 1/4 marathon, which is .5 miles longer than a 10k, but I digress.  I'm training for a 10k.  And with power outages, a dead treadmill, and 100+ temps, training has been interesting to say the least.

I have been running outside recently ~ mostly due to necessity.  But also because I love it.  Some views simply cannot be witnessed from the platform of a treadmill ~ the beauty of a sunrise or set, the carnage of a vicious storm, or turkeys on the trail.  Though I prefer the solitude of running alone, it is impossible to avoid others on a public trail.  This has more to do with being self-conscious than being anti-social.  I'm chubby, only moderately speedy, and graceless as a runner ~ don't really want to force that visual on the rest of the world.  Yet, every now and then, I am reminded that people who do take note of me often do it for good reason.

Westerville Athletic Complex has a fairly flat 1.3(ish) mile loop that encircles several soccer playing fields.  Every field was in use, mostly by women's teams.  As they were finishing up, the men were arriving.  Other runners, walkers, and parents pushing strollers or pulling wagons were out enjoying the evening.  As I ran in one direction around the loop, there were a couple of older African gentlemen walking the opposite direction.  We met on several occasions on our jaunts around the loop.

My running schedule has me at 4(ish) miles right now, so my goal was 3 laps plus an extra leg to make up the difference.  Coming to the end of lap 2, my hip was catching and my knee was pulsing (forgot to tape them today.)  Half of the loop was in full-sun on this 88F evening and the half in the shade greeted me with opposing wind.  Commence, once again, with the mental pep-talk.  Pushing through, I began the third and final lap.  It was here, about a third of the way into the third loop, that I met these gentlemen once again.  As I approached, they clapped and cheered me on, as if I were running a true race.  I jokingly, though appreciatively, bowed (very quickly as I continued to jog by) and said, "Thank you, thank you."

Once again, God showed up.  Had I talked myself out of completing my plan I would not have met these men one last time, and I would have missed the cheer from complete strangers.  That cheer is what kept me going, pushing myself to the last marker, where, ironically, the gentlemen had also reached their destination as coaches of one of the men's soccer teams.  God is so good!


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