Born to Run

by | May 2, 2018 | Self-Leadership, YouLeadU | 0 comments

“The problem with aging,” my doctor said, “is you never know you are over the hill until you arrive.”

Then he added insult to injury.

“You’ve arrived.”

These words of wisdom came from the orthopedist who performed my shoulder surgery a few years ago. Now my knee hurts. No big deal. I run a lot and ramped up my mileage and intensity earlier this year in my continuing effort to look and feel younger than my actual age.

That uptick in activity, however, has not been well tolerated by my aching joints. Having run down this road before, I assumed I was looking at a recommendation of rest and medication. Maybe get a shot or have fluid drained. That sort of thing.

Not this time.

“Take two months off and then begin low-impact exercises like swimming and biking,” the doctor ordered.

“So, no half-marathons or other distance races for a few months?” I asked.

“No running,” was his terse reply.

“You mean no running until I heal up completely?”

“No running.”

I’m just guessing, but it sounded like “no running” means “NO RUNNING.”

My mother says I never learned to walk. I only learned to run. Well, more like run a few steps and fall. That became a pattern.

I ran from my older cousins. I ran on the football and baseball fields. I ran most of all on the track. Running is the metaphor of my life. Baby, I was born to run!

Now my running days are over. Either that or I may have to change doctors.

The good news is I don’t have to have surgery. That was the doctor’s original prognosis. The MRI indicated differently. That probably means the doctor could be wrong in his prescription also, right?

One of my favorite movies of all time is Chariots of Fire. One of my favorite movie lines of all time is Eric Liddell’s declaration, “But when I run, I feel His pleasure!”

Agreed indeed. His and mine.

Is there anything more luxurious than a long run with nowhere in particular to go and no time limit to stay within? Is there anything which clears the mind like miles and miles of breathing in, breathing out, and prayerful contemplation of God, nature, and relationships?

My running partners are not going to know how to handle this turn of events. Ollie the Border Collie and Millie the Mixed Breed Pup love to run at least as much as I do, and the faster, the better. Run until their feet bleed? Yes, please. They love lying on the cold stone floor when we return home. Life is complete when we get to run and recover together.

I enjoy the Specialized racing bike our son gave me a few years ago. I love the sound of the wind whistling through my helmet. Long rides are soothing. They give Katie and me new adventures and time together. So did running.

It was on a few of our runs when Katie learned to watch for snakes on the trail. The experience of jumping over cottonmouths and copperheads is not the same on a bike.

I like swimming. I was actually getting pretty good at it and increasing my distance and stamina before I had the aforementioned shoulder surgery. It’s hard to talk to swimming partners without swallowing non-potable water. People’s feet have mixed with the heavy chlorine along with other things.

Running allows you to carry refreshments. We have Camelbak reservoirs for long runs and Gu Energy Gels for the really long runs. I’m going to miss that sloshing sound and that sticky packet.

“What about walking? We like taking long walks when we cannot run,” I asked the doc.

“Your outer limit is three miles,” Dr. Encouragement said.

“Sigh,” was my reply.

I have a friend who never plans to run again unless someone is chasing him and he has hope of escaping. I really don’t want to be part of his club.

Self-leadership includes defining current reality. Current reality does not include running. I do not like this reality, and there is not a lot I can do about it. Therefore, I will bike. I will swim. And one last time, at least, I am going to run. Because when I run, I feel His pleasure.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

CONNECT WITH ME!

Interested in learning more about Church Unique or Life Younique? Send a note through the Get In Touch box or Message me through the Facebook link above.

          Church Unique Logo          Auxano Logo

GET IN TOUCH!

READ MY BLOG!

Daily D – Leviticus 20:25-26

Leviticus 20:25, 26 “You must therefore make a distinction between ceremonially clean and unclean animals, and between clean and unclean birds. You must not defile yourselves by eating any unclean animal or bird or creature that scurries along the ground. I have identified them as being unclean for you. You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.”

Daily D – Leviticus 18:1-5

Leviticus 18:1-5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. I am the LORD your God. So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the LORD your God. If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the LORD.”

Daily D – John 15:4

John 15:4 “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

Daily D – Leviticus 8:22-24

Leviticus 8:22-24 Then Moses presented the other ram, which was the ram of ordination. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the ram’s head, and Moses slaughtered it. Then Moses took some of its blood and applied it to the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, the thumb of his right hand, and the big toe of his right foot. Next Moses presented Aaron’s sons and applied some of the blood to the lobes of their right ears, the thumbs of their right hands, and the big toes of their right feet. He then splattered the rest of the blood against all sides of the altar.

Daily D – Psalm 40:1-3

Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.