Rest Doesn't Mean Retirement

We admit it. Summers are crazy. You take a week to go on vacation, but that doesn't stop the work - it just means you have to get it done before you leave! (And you still return to new stacks of papers on your desk!) Plus, there's that whole "what happens on vacation, stays on vacation" philosophy of eating whatever you want and as much as you want. "Hey, I'm on vacation." (You know you've said it at some point!) Plus, there are 4th of July parties, backyard barbeque's, ice cream runs on extra hot days...you get the picture. Family comes to visit while things are "slowing down," and it seems like there's a wedding (or wedding shower) every weekend. And did we mention the heat? It just seems to make us extra tired, so that motivation we need to go out there and run is zapped by three digit temperatures. And heaven forbid you and your training partner don't go on vacation during the same week. You have to hit the gym by yourself for a whole week? We get it. It's not easy being a runner in the summer.

Gsbrielle is right. Rest is important. But did you notice that she didn't say it was okay to rest every day? :) Many runners allow themselves to be overwhelmed by their busy schedules and the heat, and they stop their regular training routine. Coming back after vacation is just too hard. That first day back in the gym after a week off feels like you've never worked out in your life.

Here's the bottom line: When exercise ends, de-training begins. But will you let that discourage you, or will you let it motivate you to be stronger?

It's true. Runner's World magazine reports:
* After just seven days of not training, blood volume drops sharply, which affects your body's ability to be able to function aerobically.
* With just three to six weeks of inactivity, your fitness can drop to PRE-TRAINING levels. All of your hard work was wasted.

Here are three great ideas to back off on your training during the summer without sacrificing any of your athletic ability. (And hey, if you can keep up your normal routine, DO IT! You rock.)

1) Maintain at least 50% of your mileage.
If you normally get in 30 miles for week, don't leave the gym on Saturday night until you've gotten at least 15 miles logged for the week. Try to run at least 3 days per week, skipping days inbetween - that's just 5 miles on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Much more manageable!

2) Mix in some speedwork.
Since you're running less, pick up the pace a notch. This will work your VO2 max and challenge your body in a different way. Adding speed burns more calories. If you work hard enough, you might actually work off just as many calories as you would doing a longer run.

3) Schedule yourself for two races early in the Fall.
Racing season is right around the corner. Go ahead and hit up www.active.com to schedule your first two races. Having something on the calendar to work towards will serve as constant motivation...plus, you'll get the early bird discount!

Usually, I try and give an equivalent parallel of running and your spiritual walk. That's not the case today. Backing off in your relationship with Christ is not an option. You have to stay consistent in your walk with Christ. Just as you are in your best shape physically on race day after strict training and exercise, you are in your best shape spiritually when you are spending consistent time each day in God's Word and prayer.

Gabrielle mentioned in her last post how empowered she felt after completing a hard week of training without compromise in any area. That's similar to the "spiritual high" we experience after a mission trip or incredible Christian conference. Minus the hours we spend sleeping, these trips are all about the Lord - serving Him, worshipping Him, learning about Him, telling others about Him, etc. We spend all of our time with him, resulting in a closeness with God that is unmatchable to any other relationship.

But what happens when we return home? We fall back into our normal routines. Instead of God's agenda being the top priority of our day, he takes second, third, maybe even ninth or tenth place.

I am not asking you to quit your job, sell your house, and preach on the streets downtown fifteen hours a day. (It's God's job to ask people to do that.) But do you have consistent time with Christ? Are you contintually spending time with Him so you don't lose your passion?

1 John 2:6 says, "Whoever says he lives in Christ must walk as Jesus did." It doesn't add the phrases unless you are on vacation, unless you are tired, or whenever you feel like it. You must walk as Jesus did PERIOD. At all times. No matter what storms in life pops up, no matter how high the hill is to climb, no matter if you feel like you are the only one still walking.

Over the next few posts, Gab and I are going to share some of the ways that we find God...while running. :)

Stilettos in Quicksand

I love my dad. He makes coffee just the way I like it, always has an encouraging word, rarely misses a question on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and yells at the TV just as loudly as I do during college football games. He is an incredible resource in most areas of my life....EXCEPT for running. And fashion.

He just doesn't get them. He doesn't understand how I could possibly ENJOY pounding pavement until my feet are numb, waking up at 5 am to train, or sprinting with a 15 grade incline at the gym just to see how long I can take it. He doesn't know that a marathon is not 26 miles. (You run one, and then tell me that 0.2 miles doesn't make a difference!)

Fashion has him equally baffled. He calls my sister's Louis Vuitton bag "the alphabet purse." He thinks COACH sells sports merchandise. And that Guess changes what they sell every week. He just doesn't get it.

That's why his life advice with a running/fashion analogy had such an impact on me. I knew God was speaking through my dad to communicate with me in a way I would understand. There's no way my dad could have given this advice on his own knowledge.

I was sitting in my parent's kitchen. I got a job in pharmaceutical sales, gone to sales school in Indianapolis for six weeks, and bought a three-bedroom condo on my own within three months of graduating college (at the age of 20. I graduated both high school and college a year early.)

In December, my manager told me the company was undergoing a "corporate re-shuffle." Already under conviction that I should have gone to seminary after graduating, I turned down three other positions within the company, took a severence package, enrolled in graduate school at the University of Tennessee, went back to my previous job as a personal trainer, took a volunteer internship position in the student ministry at my dad's church, put my condo on the market, competed for the title of Miss Knoxville, and won. Now, it was back to Miss Tennessee.

In March, I was so tired of wrestling with God about coming to seminary, I scheduled a campus tour of Southwestern. My dad and I came to Texas, I immediately felt at home on the campus, and decided that was where the Lord wanted me to pursue my seminary degree. If I won Miss Tennessee, I would defer a year and enter seminary a year later. If I didn't win, I would move to Texas three weeks after the pageant.

The pageant came, and the crown went to another contestant. The time had come to show Texas that at 5'3" and 110 lbs, it doesn't always have to be bigger to be better in Texas. Or was it time to hold off on the move and take online classes for a year before I took the plunge?

I casually brought up this idea of web-based education with my dad, thinking he would immediately jump on board. I mean, he wouldn't have to watch his little girl move 16 hours away from home. ANY father would be estastic, especially when you're as close as we are.

My dad took a deep breath. "Michelle, how important is picking your running shoes to you?"

"What" I asked. My dad never mentioned running, unless he was telling me that I needed to give my body a break.

"How much time do you spend researching a shoe before you purchase it? And when you find a pair that you like, do you stay loyal to it, waiting for the new one to come out? Or will you just run in any old pair of shoes?" he asked.

"No way!" I said, passionately. "Picking your running shoe is critical to performance. I mean, I have a narrow foot. I can't wear just any shoe that comes in a normal or a wide width. And racing shoes are different from training shoes. Trail running shoes are different. And this!" I said proudly, lifting up my right foot for him to admire my 2006 Nike Air Pegasus. "This is the best running shoe out there. It's the only one I buy."

"So you consider the terrain too?" he asked.

"Of course."

"Does the distance matter for your pace?" Now, he was smirking a little bit. I hadn't quite figured out where he was going, but he was definately going somewhere. "If you're going to do a long run, do you start slower than if you're going to do a shorter run?"

"Absolutely. If you start out too fast for a long run, you'll never make it. And if you're too slow for a short run, you won't get a good workout," I shot back. Two could play this "Know-It-All" Game.

"Well, all I'm going to tell you is that your life would be a lot smoother if you gave it as much thought and consideration as running."

Yeah, I'm sure that's all you're going to tell me. "Go on," I said.

"When you run, you have a plan, and you stick to it - how far you'll run, what you'll wear, how fast you'll go. In life, you try to run a marathon at a 5K pace without stopping to think about the terrain you will come across or what shoes you should wear - which is why half of the time - you end up sprinting in stilettos on quicksand."

What? When did he learn what stilettos were? And I don't remember teaching him about pacing....

But he was so right.

Ask yourself the following questions.

1) Do you give as much prayer to life decisions as you give consideration to your training log?

2) Do you make decisions at a sprinting pace and discover you can't finish the race because you get burned out?

3) Do you make "in the moment" decisions without considering how it will impact your future?

This conversation with my dad is what inspired my life verse - 2 Timothy 4:7. "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith."

**Fight the good fight.**
Only fight the battles worth fighting. Just as you must train regularly, train smart, and challenge yourself, you must keep a consistent walk with Christ, cling close to Him, and accept the tasks He gives you.

**Finish the race.**
He put you here for a reason. He has a purpose for your life, and it is your job to be obedient to fulfill that purpose.

**Keep the faith.**
Never forget that Christ is worth living for...and dying for.

The Finish Line

The reasons runners run are as numerous and unique as the number of runners around the world. Some run because they have something to prove. Some run to impress others. Some run to beat others. Some run for a medal. Some run to prove to themselves that they can. Some run for the adrenaline, others run for the exercise. The reason I run depends on the day, the mood, and the pair of running shoes.

Runners are different. Each has his or her own gait, preferred course, running music, and favorite brand of running shoes.

But there is one constant for all runners.

The finish line.

In every race, whether a 5k, 10k, marathon, or ultra, there is always a finish line. Whether the course is certified or homemade – it ends at the finish line.

That last one hundred meters is the hardest, longest, most exhausting leg of the race. And yet it is also the most exhilarating, out of body, portion of the race. You are running on muscle memory and sheer determination, then you round the corner and there it is – the finish line. Exhaustion, doubts, thirst, pain – it all fades away. It is just you and the finish line. It pulls you with magnetic force. And then you are done.

My first experience crossing a finish line was at the end of half-marathon, on a broken foot. I hobbled across, barely moving at a pace that anyone would consider a run. But I finished. Ahead of me was a sixty-something-year-old man. His foot wasn’t broken, but he was not moving much faster than me. The last one hundred meters was uphill and seemed to last forever. I was in torment; the pain in my foot was radiating up my leg, making every muscle scream in agony. It was all I could do not to quit. Butout of nowhere the older man suddenly transformed: he took off running like an eighteen-year-old. He went from running a 10.5 minute mile to a 6.0 minute mile. It was phenomenal. He blazed across the finish line. I was dumbfounded. Still in serious pain, but I was blown away by his finish. I wanted his finish. I wanted to end like that. I wanted my race photos to be blurry because I was sprinting toward the end with all my might. I wanted my last steps of the race to be my best.

So I went home, rehabbed the foot, and started training for the end. Every week I alternate running a 5k, 10k, and half-marathon distance, with some hill-work thrown in. And every day, no matter how what the distance, I end in a sprint. I don’t just train to run the race; I train to end the race well.

Like runners, Christians are unique. They each have a favorite version of the Bible, a chosen denomination, a form of worship, a time of day to read the Bible. No Christian does Christianity in exactly the same way.

Even as Christians are different, Christ is the same. He saves everyone the same way. He loves each with the same unconditional love. He offers the same divine power. And He is preparing a place for each with Him when they finish the race of life.

Paul compares the Christian life to a race.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Christianity is a race. It is an endurance race toward heaven.

The question is, how will you finish? When your race is done, will you limp across the finish line or will your last steps on earth be your best? Will you finish the Christian life with only your church members knowing of your salvation? Or will you finish having lived as holy a life as you can, knowing as much Scripture as possible, taking as many souls with you as possible? How will you finish?

Just like with racing, you can’t just pull an ending sprint out of thin air – you have to train for the finish you want.

If you want to finish well, practice that finish every day.

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:1-8

Training for Holiness

"Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training and some of us are not." – Runner's World Quote of the Day.

That quote appeared in my inbox this morning. My initial reaction as a runner in training was to be inspired to train harder. Then I read it again and I actually disagree with that quote a little. Not everyone is an athlete. Everyone may have athletic potential – even if it is just a tiny smidge. Take me for example: until 2008, I thought a decent workout was finishing a one mile jog without breathing too terribly hard or sweating away my cuteness. I was all cute shoes, manicured nails, fruity perfumes, and girl talk. Frou frou was my middle name. The term “athletic” couldn’t be used to describe anything about me, not even my tennis shoes. Athletic I was not. Still am not. Throw any ball-shaped object at me and my first instinct is to duck, not catch it. I still fall over when I try to do lunges. It’s ridiculously funny to watch but not athletically inspiring in the least. So, not athletic – but I am a runner. I logged 30 miles this week. It isn’t 50, and it definitely isn’t 200, but it is serious running. And, just so you know, according to the sporty-people-who-know, running is a sport. It is even an event in the Olympics. Therefore, I am an athlete – ha! My 62 pairs of high heels are laughing at that statement.

Back to the point, not everyone is an athlete. Just like not everyone is a Christian. Lost people and couch potatoes do exist. But for those who are athletes, there are two types: those in training and those who aren’t. The aren’ts are the has-been athletes. Training does not have an end. As long as you are an athlete, you train. When you stop training, you immediately become a has-been. Athlete is not a title achieved by logging so many hours on the field or in the gym. It is a description of what you do every day. The term athlete describes a life of disciple and purpose.Christian is a title given upon the acceptance and belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ. But Christianity, the process of becoming like Christ, continues as long as we live. Just like the training to be an athlete, learning to be like Christ never ends. As long as there is breath in our bodies, there is sin to be shed and holiness to be learned. And as long as we can still stand, there are still seconds that can be shaved off of our mile. It is a never ending process called training. Training for holiness.

Running must be planned or it won’t happen. No runner wakes up at 6am and decides spur of the moment to run twelve miles in 19degree weather. That run was planned weeks in advance, as part of the master plan to get that runner to a goal. And that goal is bigger than early mornings and cold weather. So the runner gets up and runs.

Holiness must be planned or it will never be learned. No Christian wakes up an hour earlier than required on a Monday morning and reaches for the Bible just because they are tired of sleeping. That time in the Word, those moments spent with God were planned beforehand. That discipline didn’t just come; it was planned in times of strength to carry us through early morning moments of weakness. A plan was made and committed to in order to insure that follower of Christ will actually follow Christ. And that dedication to the cause of knowing Christ is bigger than sleep or personal time. So the Christian wakes up early and kneels to pray.

I have a training schedule. It incorporates mileage and strength training, crossing training and speed work, hill training and resting into my week. If it wasn’t for that training schedule I wouldn’t be consistent. That little chart is the map to being a better runner. It sets the pace for the next several months of running. I know what is expected of me physically so that I can prepare mentally. As Christians, we need the same thing to keep us on track in following Christ. We need a plan for holiness.

Even though I talk more than anyone you have probably ever met, I am actually a doer. I actually made out a training chart for holiness. It’s on a pink Excel spreadsheet - I will spare you the details. It looks a little like this:

Running Schedule:
Monday: 60 minute run, comfortable jog. 2 sets speed drills. Weights: arms/legs.
Tuesday: Run 6 miles, race pace. Core.
Wednesday: Cross train (for me that is bike or elliptical). Weights: arms/legs.
Thursday: Run 8 miles, race pace +1.
Friday: Rest. Core.
Saturday: Run 12 miles, race pace or whatever it takes to finish.
Sunday: 4 mile jog or hill train.
Each week mileage increases.

Holiness Schedule:
Monday: Read 1 John 1, journal reflection, prayer run*. Scripture memory.
Tuesday: Read 1 John 2, journal, prayer run. Personal Bible Study on Genesis.
Wednesday: Read Psalms, journal. Time of Praise. Scripture memory.
Thursday: Read 1 John 3, journal, prayer run. Personal Bible Study on Genesis.
Friday: (Tired) Read Psalms, just let them wash over me. Listen to God.
Saturday: Read 1 John 4, journal, prayer run. Accountability. Scripture memory.
Sunday: Time of thanksgiving and praise (with the help of my iPod and David Crowder), meditate on Scripture memorized, read over 1 John 1-4. Personal Bible Study on Genesis.
*I pray for others while I run.

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” 1 Peter 1:13-19

So who are you?
Are you the beer-bellied has-been athlete yelling at replays of the game in an effort to reclaim his glory days? Or are you the runner pouring sweat with straining muscles and who forces yourself across the finish line, breaking the tape with head held high because you did it.

Are you the Christian who reaches over his Bible in the morning in favor of the newspaper, whose memories of God are the only thing that convinces him that God actually exists? Or are you the Christian who is daily fighting the good fight, who expects to meet with God every day and hear from God ever time the Word is opened?Choose to train. Make a plan. Commit to the discipline of holiness. Just do it. So that you can say, as Paul did, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

Train for holiness.