Performance and Transformation

If running isn't holy, maybe I'm not doing it right. It's got to feel special or unique. By definition, holy is to be set apart . God used the word "holy" to describe the first day of rest, and then later His people. For my running to be holy means it is set apart....it becomes more and more void of false motives or angst. In the positive sense it means freedom, ease, and enjoyment. I do it for me, and because I'm created to do it. When running isn't set apart, there is an intrinsic danger in doing it for the wrong reasons. Studies show that people who start running just to lose weight are less likely to continue running than those who run for sheer joy. Why run then? Because we are human, and we have been created to run. If we weren't, then our great-great-great ancestors never would have been able to outrun their neighbor for dinner, or run and catch dinner. More than that, God made us as physical beings. Therefore, I would co...

At about this time of the year most of us are beginning to reflet on the goals we had for the past season of running. I had been excited to use a systematic plan for the first time this last year. It helped me run faster and more efficiently than ever, getting a best time in my marathon to boot (3:35)! Because I want to run about 20 minutes faster next year, I'm in the heat of evaluation. While checking for room to improve, and accessing how I did at implementing it I've noticed that the plan was great, but I didn't always do a good job of executing it. The 5-6 time a week runs were hard for my non-runner background to keep up with in a summer of travel and a newborn. Good plan, but probably not the best one for me. I need something that will kick me into gear, but have a certain amount of flexibility and non-running activities to stave off boredom. While coming down the finish line of my September marathon, I was also finishing up Bob Fryling's " ...