5K Training: Day One

I've been meaning to write this all day; now, with only 16 minutes until bedtime, I'm going to frantically dash off something brilliant about my first day of training.

Think-think, think-think, think-think...

Right. Nothing. Brilliance must belong to someone else tonight.

I can, however, tell you that I did it! For the first time in my life - a whopping 40 years - I ran half of a mile! Not bad for someone who's never even run a full block before, if I do say so myself. And it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it might be (although my lower calves and hips were quite put out with the process, and begged me the whole time to take them back home).

I don't know about any of you, but I wasn't able to enjoy much of the winter Olympics this year. I'm in bed by 9:00 most nights, so I was snoring by the time they started. I felt quite miffed; I really enjoy the winter games. I did get to see the torch being lit on Mt. Olympus, however, and thinking about that, I have to think about the original Olympic games. Back then, athletes didn't compete against each other, only against themselves. Completing the event well led to the laurel wreath; by wearing that wreath around your head, you told the world, "I finished the race." That's what I'm anticipating at my upcoming 5K race: I don't care if I finish last, somewhere in the middle, or first (highly unlikely!). All I care about is starting and finishing well. By being faithful to my training schedule, and keeping my eyes on the now imagined, but soon to be real, finish line, I will be prepared to compete. Let me tell you, my hubby will be there, taking all sorts of lovely pictures of me, sweating - and stinking - profusely.

In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John writes this to the church at Smyrna: "Do not fear what you are about to suffer...be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:9,10). The phrase "crown of life" alluded to the Olympic laurel wreath. God's promise was that consistent faithfulness would end in eternal victory. As one who has been born again into the Kingdom of God, I am encouraged that I am not competing against anyone in my spiritual "race." I run against myself, and my reward for completing the race - my course on this earth, set out by my Father Himself - I will be crowned with victory, and will be able to shout, "I finished the race!"

So, here's to my faithfulness in training, and my faithfulness in living!