plant and run

running peaks and valleys | October 3, 2009

Man, one thing we have learned thus far about the Fellowship Associates Church Planting Residency is that it ebbs and flows. Some weeks are just packed out with activities. We have recently hit a busy season. Thus, I haven’t had time to post here much.

Rather than updating you on what I’m learning in the program [I'll try to do that in a series of posts over the next couple of days], I figured I’d let you know how my running is going. I have recently hit an interesting patch that is probably pretty common for runners.

So let me tell you all about it…

About a month ago, I ran 14 miles on a Saturday morning. It was a great run. In fact, it was the furthest I’ve ever run in my life. I have to admit, I was kinda amazed at the pace I kept up for 14 miles. Not only that, it was the culmination of a really good week where I was setting PRs left and right. I was running on a high. Felt really, really good.

Then I started hitting some snags in my running routine. We went on a couple of road trips, I got sick, I had a couple of bad blisters, the Residency schedule got busy. All that added up to me missing some of my runs and losing some ground. I felt all of the momentum I had built starting to slip away. Thankfully, I was still getting in enough runs to not lose everything, but I definitely felt like I wasn’t at the same level I had just been a week or two before.

I guess that is the nature of running. I guess that is the reason why most runners design these intricate training schedules that lead right up to race day. When you peak, it’s a peak. You can’t hang around on the mountaintop all that long. The key is to peak at the right time.

my new kicks

So I feel like the last week or so has gotten me back to where I want to be.

What made the difference?

First of all, I bought new shoes. [That always helps a runner to be excited.] Part of my downfall over the past couple of weeks was realizing that my old shoes weren’t working for me anymore. It’s time for me to go with something lighter with less support that is more conducive to a mid-foot strike [landing on the middle of your foot rather than on your heel]. I’ve learned that I’m pretty light for a runner, I have an efficient stride and I keep a fairly fast pace. All that means that the expensive shoes with all of the extra cushion and support hurts me more than helps. [By the way, I've also learned that Target is the best place to shop for running socks that are cheap and good. New socks help too.]

Secondly, I simply focused on what I needed to do to get back on track. I ran. I ran even when I didn’t feel like it. Some days, honestly, weren’t fun at all. Then, like magic, on Thursday I was running and all of a sudden it hit me: I feel good again.

I do wonder how true that is in many areas of our life. Do we try to go all out all of the time? Do we ever attempt to figure out how to create schedules that allow us to peak at the right time? The reality is that all of us have busy seasons of life. Do we manage our stress well?

What about from a spiritual perspective? If we are honest, none of us live on the mountaintop, do we? We have highs and lows. Do we think about how our actions and decisions help to determine when those occur? Do we think about what we need to do to pull ourselves out of the ditch?

For me, this year is about learning. I’m learning a lot about church planting and what church could look like. More than that, I’m learning about me. I’m realizing all of the mistakes I have made in the past and seeking God’s help to redeem my inadequacies and use me to bring restoration to New Orleans!