Monday, May 5, 2008

I DID IT!

Sorry for the delay in posting my big race results (I know you’ve been on the edge of your seats for those who read "The BIG RACE" post)….I have been recuperating and rehydrating since I ran 13.1 miles in 2:10:54. But yes…I did it!!! It was incredible and I am hooked. I told someone yesterday that I believe it was a ‘life-changing’ event for me…that I am different now. For sure! Just call me Speedy P!

I prayed that I would see spiritual application all along the way and I so did, but not in the way I thought I would. Per my post last week…I foresaw so many potential ‘running together’ racing analogies to build on…well all of that went out the window when people in plastic bags for tops got in my way from the get go. It was as if people purposely tried to block me. I am a type A traffic gal for sure and it is where I lose my witness the most. So this was a mini version of that. 30,000 people running on wet roads is hazardous to say the least, especially when many of them began to drop their ‘bag-tops’ on the ground when it stopped raining.

So what was my spiritual analogy ‘ah ha’ moment? The big E girls…ENCOURAGEMENT. My sweet friend Gretchen and I ran this race together and helped each other through (there, the running together analogy. We even held hands as we crossed the finish line. It was dorky but we didn’t care).

There were thousands of people watching us along the way and the vast majority of them stood with arms folded looking at us like we had just run in from outer space, or somewhere less interesting. Gretchen began to actually encourage people to encourage us…I mean people! Help us out here?! I’d say a tenth or less of those watching actually cheered or shook their little CMT tambourines.

I think they either needed more coffee or were looking to cheer their one favorite person whenever they arrived on the scene. Many held signs for that one person. ‘Go Karen, you can do it� or “Janice, here is your sign honey!� I asked God to show me a sign with my name on it even if it wasn’t intended just for me and at about mile 9, there it was….’Go Beth, Susie…and PAIGE!’ I yelled, ‘That’s ME!� in this poor guys’ face and I really scared him I think. Then there was a lady who single-handedly encouraged thousands of runners with a simple sign that read…This sign is for YOU...I tear up just thinking about her. I love that woman. Several people thanked her as we passed.

But when that 1/10th of folks danced, clapped, and whooped us, you could actually feel your adrenaline and drive increase; your steps were truly lighter. After we’d pass such a small cheering section, I’d have to slow Gretchen down from all the excitement. She’d just take off from the joy of it. So, here’s the application gals…. We need encouragement to finish the race, even from people we don’t know. We need to be cheered from the sidelines. We need a sign (with or without our name on it) that says “You can do it.� Whether the road is easy or hard we need to shake our tambourines and smile for each other. It makes ALL the difference. I just finished the Stepping Up Bible Study and as Beth says, we fellow pilgrims on the journey need to encourage each other and we need to watch for the road signs. Now there’s a great tie in. Just an FYI. I saw several that said…�Run like you stole something.� These made me smile.

When Gretchen and I saw the sweet faces of the people who had actually come to cheer us specifically we could have cried if we weren’t so dehydrated from sweating. They were so glad to see us, to cheer us with signs meant just for us. So whether you are the one running the hard road or the one standing by watching….encourage and be encouraged! We are on this road together.

There was another sign I saw….The 2 Timothy scripture…to fight the fight, to finish the race. And I did…and that’s why I loved it so much.

Paige

Posted by Michelle Hicks on May 5, 2008 at 10:08 AM