Run the mile you're in
Run the mile you're in
How running the Carlsbad Half Marathon set the pace for my year
The gentle, but steady drip of rain provided a soundtrack for our weekend. Not exactly what I was expecting for our anniversary in Carlsbad near San Diego. We had driven seven hours south for some time near the ocean and to run the Carlsbad marathon and half.
We didn’t plan on rain when we signed up months earlier for these races. This part of the state is (almost) always sunny and balmy. Seventy degrees and ocean breeze is the norm.
I tried to mask my disappointment. My husband Shawn was running in hopes of bettering his recent marathon time and to qualify for Boston. I was running for the ocean vista.
The entire state of California has weathered unprecedented rain over the last month. According to NPR, we have experienced more rain in three weeks than we normally see in a year. Rain flooded roads, homes, and forced evacuations. Many went without power for days.
On race day, we experienced something different. When my sister, brother-in-law Russ, and I climbed into the rental car, there was a light sprinkle on our windshield. Shawn was already running the marathon, and we were lining up to start the half marathon ninety minutes later.
Then something extraordinary happened. The heavens opened up and the rain stopped. I found myself singing a song of gratitude in my heart for this little miracle.
The rain held off for the next three hours. Glory hallelujah!
The first part of the race included a long hill over a bridge. After several subsequent hills, I realized this was going to be harder and take longer than I thought.
13.1 miles. It’s a distance I’ve run dozens of times through the years. It’s not an easy run. It always pushes me out of my comfort zone, but it’s doable. I have enough muscle memory to know I can complete it, but it requires training.
I trained for this race for a good three months with a 10k and 5k race thrown in for good measure. However, that training was through months of rain and through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. It took a special kind of discipline to get out for runs when the weather was cold, rainy, foggy, and family was hanging out at our home for the holidays.
Determining in my heart to enjoy the journey, I found that familiar cadence of steps and settled in.
There’s always a lesson or two that God drops for me when I’m running a race. This race was no exception. I kept thinking about the new year stretching before me like Carlsbad Boulevard along the ocean. I was surrounded by people, but I had to run my own race.
I thought about the title to Olympian Ryan Hall’s book, Run the Mile You’re In: Finding God in Every Step. I knew that’s what I had to do in this race and the year ahead. If I focused on all thirteen miles and the hills, I would get overwhelmed. I had to take it one mile at a time, one step at time.
Here’s the reality: I have a very full year ahead of me. Maybe you do too. I have a book deadline March 31 so I’m in the throes of deep writing work. I also am launching three new books and have several retreats and speaking events I’m looking forward to. Shawn and I are coaching high school Track & Field again for our oldest daughter’s team while our younger two daughters will also be running for the elementary and middle school teams.
It’s a lot. The calendar squares are full.
I know the only way through is through running the mile I’m in and not worrying too much about the future.
Just ahead of me in the race I saw the turnaround at Breakwater Road, which would point us back to the finish. I was a little more than halfway. I did a quick assessment of my body. Steady breathing. Not thirsty. My left foot felt a little tingly. I knew that meant my lower back was out. The tips of my toes were very sore.
Could I fight through it? The mental game was on. I stopped for a quick stretch and then continued on my way. I set a finishing time goal in my mind that helped me keep putting one foot in front of the other.
The guy next to me started shouting. It yanked me out of my thoughts and reminded me I was not running this race alone. He cheered for each person he passed. “We can do this, people,” he bellowed. “Almost to the top of this hill.”
His voice echoed along the road as runners of all shapes and sizes pushed up the hill. We all did it in our own way - some walking, some running, some pushing hard, others chatting with running buddies. I noticed a blood stain on the back of his shirt where his heart rate monitor strap was. I winced a little thinking about the chafing he was experiencing even with all of his enthusiasm.
Such a poignant picture. We all have little injuries and obstacles in this life race. Maybe it’s a physical injury or a mental block. Maybe it’s something we are grieving or worrying about. We have the choice to keep running or let it paralyze us.
Meanwhile, I was also tracking my hubby Shawn who was a few miles to the finish line. I could see his pace was slower than he hoped. I prayed for him to get there safely and maybe still eke out that BQ (Boston marathon qualifying time).
That kept me distracted for a few miles until I got a message from my sister that he had finished.
As I neared the final mile, I tried to pick up the pace. My body was ready to cross that finish. I found my way through the downtown streets to the last hill.
Even at 45, I’m still a sprinter in my heart. I live for that last 100 meters when the finish line is in sight and I can just go all out. Honestly, I didn’t have much to give but I crossed with that feeling of deep satisfaction. Finished. Completed. 13.1 miles in the bank. (Also, where were my fuzzy slippers?!)
I learned three important lessons about pacing that I’m still mulling over almost a month later.
My pace is slower than it used to be.
I don’t say this as an apology or with an ounce of shame. It’s simply true. I’m not standing on podiums or getting personal records in this season of running. But I’m enjoying myself, time with friends, and time with God. And that’s a good thing. These are the things that make me feel wholly alive.
My pace is not the same as the person running next to me.
I used to be much more of a competitor. I would push to pass that person in front of me, that woman running next to me, but I’m less about that now. I’m comfortable in my own pace, my own skin, in the gifts God has given me. I can cheer on my friends who are each running a different pace in life.
My pace ebbs and flows; and that’s ok.
I’ve discovered there is a different pace for different legs of the race. Sometimes I have a project before me, and I have to run hard. Then I need to allow myself to ease up, to rest, to feed my body and my creative brain in other ways. Sometimes we have a long hill before us and it requires a bit of grit. We have to put in the time and the energy. We have to rely on our training. I am learning to embrace these seasons as well.
Ryan Hall writes these words in his book, “I can’t afford to have a thought about myself that God doesn’t have about me. God’s grace has covered my failures, and now He looks at me with unconditional love, a love that doesn’t have to be earned and can’t be lost. If God, who Himself is perfect, can extend grace to me, then certainly I should be able to extend grace to myself.”
I’m basking in this grace this year and inviting you to as well. Keep running, friend.
Leave a comment and tell me about the mile you’re in!
*For more articles about running and faith, hop over to my blog here.
Glory recommendations
Each week I like to share links to some of my own work or resources that are inspiring me to chase after God’s glory! Here are 5 for you to check out:
Shawn and I are kicking off a video book club going through our book, Walk Run Soar. If you are a runner or walker or know someone who longs to start a habit of moving in this new year, we hope you will join us. Hop over to our Glory Chasers Christian Running group on Facebook and follow along! We are kicking it off this week at 4:30 p.m. PT | 7:30 p.m. ET.
Are you looking for a Bible study for this next season? I’m so excited about the new study I’m diving into written by my friend Kat Armstrong. Mountains: Rediscovering Your Vision and Restoring Your Hope in God's Presence is about five key mountaintop experiences in scripture. Mountains is the first in a series of unique studies Kat wrote. The studies in this series are designed to guide you through the storyline of Scripture-each following a person, place, or thing in the Bible. You’ll discover cohesive, thematic storylines with literary elements and appreciate the Bible as the masterpiece that it is. If you jump into this study, please let me know. I’ll be going through it over the next few months with my friend. I’d love to hear your insights!
On Fridays, I host a live broadcast on my Instagram and Facebook pages called “Walking Through His Word.” We are going on three years now of walking through the psalms verse by verse each week and praying together. Check out the broadcast from this week here as I walk through Psalm 113, a praise hymn!
Have you ever been disappointed or frustrated with your inability for consistent Bible study? Reading through the Bible in a year can feel daunting. It can be hard to know how—or where—to start. Perhaps you just need a friend who follows Jesus to help. Trillia Newbell is a trusted Bible teacher and lover of the Scriptures. She describes herself as a “forever student.” And she’d like nothing more than for you to join her in the grand and thrilling adventure of growing in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ! Rather than jumping around the Bible, you can jump into this book that will take you through the entirety of the Scriptures in one year! This month’s book giveaway is 52 Weeks in the Word: A Companion for Reading the Bible in a Year by Trillia Newbell. Comment on this post or reply to the email and let me know why you’re interested in winning this book.
I’m not recording new episodes of my Eat Pray Run podcast this Spring, but I am hosting the Global Glory Chasers broadcast over on Instagram live. This is a 30-minute-ish conversation with fellow authors about experiencing God’s glory in our world and through our writing. This week I’ll be chatting with my friend Torrie Sorge about growing up mixed-race and why representation matters for kids of all ages. Torrie’s Substack is called Mixed.ology if you want to hear more from her. Tune in Wednesday at 8 a.m. PT | 11 a.m. ET on Instagram live for our chat! If you missed last week’s chat with multicultural children’s author Dorena Williamson, listen to it here.
I feel like I need this constant reminder playing on a loop. You know, it's easy for me to see where I am in the race and believe I'm late. It constantly feels like I have to do all the things harder and better to make up for lost time, while reminding myself God doesn't waste anything. Years weren't wasted. They were invested differently and those years were still rich & meaningful. Thank you again friend for this sweet reminder.
My mile right now is rest and recovery. 12 half marathons in the past 2 years have done a number on my body so it needed to rest. I have two friends training for full marathons in May. And I am finding joy in seeing them train and ready themselves for the big race. And trying to not have FOMO lol.