Wednesday I had a first. I fell when running. It was during my last half mile. A bit tired, and unfocused I simply wasn’t picking up my feet. I was road running and so I caught my foot on a girder on a bridge and down I went. I’m sore, bruised and scraped but none worse for the wear. Gratefulness fills my heart. It could have been so much worse. I was running in the shoulder and if I had fallen the other direction I could have fallen onto the road. Nothing is sprained, broken or pulled. Blessed and fortunate nothing was wounded except maybe my pride.
I fell because I wasn’t focused. As I began to fatigue I simply wasn’t picking up my feet properly. I wasn’t running the way I knew to run. Reverting to sloppy technique and just slogging along contributed to my fall. Running properly, focusing on the journey, enjoying it, not just thinking of the destination is important. Also I was aware of my surrounding which kept me from falling into the road, but I wasn’t aware enough to notice the bridge girder. I also pushed myself to a point of fatigue and I should be more aware of what my body is telling me. All these lessons learned from the pavement.
I’ve been processing this fall in terms of what I can do to prevent a worse injury while running and avoid a repeat performance. I am going to revisit using the Jeff Galloway training program. This should help me get ready for my marathon in 2015. Check it out here http://www.jeffgalloway.com/.
I’ve also been thinking about how to apply this to my life. You see I run not only to lose weight but to have time alone, to process my jumbled thoughts. Clarity comes in the midst of sweat, the middle of challenging myself and being outside in God’s creation. up. I’m slogging through this world unfocused, lazily sacrificing form by living in a way that I know is contradictory to what I’ve learned, adopted and committed to as a follower of Christ. I’m investing in “good” things, but they aren’t the most important things. This is a great big world, lots to see and do, but I can only live one day at a time, enjoy one moment at a time. There is so much that I will never be able to change, and I should stop trying to do so. `The basics. I need to go back to the basics.
I’m going to learn from my “falls”. I don’t have to stay down, but I don’t have to keep pushing too hard either. Pick up my feet….one foot in front of the other, firmly planted. Phil. 3:13-14 (our next passage to memorize) says “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Although I have many earthly goals, my eternal goals are so much more important. Jesus…it’s all about Him. I need to love him, believe him, follow him and share him with others. My kids need to know about Jesus as they learn multiplication. My kids need to know about Jesus as they learn to clean bathrooms and serve others. I need to share Jesus with the homeless person on the corner. My whole life can be enjoyed by living it and giving it away.
Falling wasn’t fun, but it was a gift. It reminded me that falls happen, life jumps up and grabs you by the feet and tries to pull you down. Fatigue, failure and fear are always present but CAN be overcome with faith. My place is not on the ground. My place is to keep on trying, keep on running, keep on pressing onto the higher calling. The view is so much better while running than on the pavement by the way :-).
Brought 2 U By the Number 40 