I competed in Cincinnati's Flying Pig Marathon this past weekend and spent most of my 3+ hours out on the course in heavy rain thinking about the blog I was going to write after I survived the experience. It was my 35th marathon, but it was the only one I have ever done on a whim, signing up late Friday afternoon less than 48 hours before race time. I knew going in that the weather wasn't going to cooperate. I knew going in that my pre-race training wasn't good. I knew the course was advertised as "hilly". But I went through with it just the same and along the way did some thinking about life through the lens of a marathon.
1. Conditions can make or break you - it's a matter of your perspective: Pouring rain and rolling thunder greeted us as we stepped out of the cover of Paul Brown Stadium and up to the starting line. Remarkably, I didn't hear anyone complaining - people were reminding each other that "At least it isn't 80 degrees and sunny", "This rain will keep us cooled off","At least we won't dehydrate!". These folks knew there was literally nothing they could do about the rain - the only thing they could control was their attitude. Storms will roll through our lives but they will not stay - and staying positive in the midst of the storm and putting things in perspective will help ensure we get through whatever comes our way.
2. Take things one mile at a time: 26.2 miles is a long way to run. Standing on the starting line, it can be an overwhelming prospect to consider what's ahead. But when broken into smaller chunks, taken one mile at a time, it becomes more reasonable. I never allow myself to consider all of the miles before me - I take them as they come, one down, two down, three down... I set smaller goals within the race, deciding where I want to be at certain points along the way - I literally pick off the miles and the goals as I go along. Life's challenges can feel like a tsunami at times, when taken on the whole. Break the challenges into chunks - daily victories, weekly mileposts, monthly gains. One by one, take something on and take it out. Move forward. Before you know it, you are on your way with miles behind you and the confidence that you will get to the finish line.
3. In the midst of challenges, keep focused on the finish, and never lose faith: Are you focused on the conditions (rain), the miles ahead, the challenges you encounter, or the amazing feeling of crossing that finish line? At mile 11, I noticed my insole/cushioned support riding up my ankle. My shoes were water-logged and the glue holding the insole had come off. I stopped, took my shoe off, fixed the insert, and carried on. A mile later, I'm feeling it happen again - so I strip my socks off hoping my bare feet would keep the insole in place. By mile 13, I'm losing the insole again, so I stop, take it out, and run without the cushioning and support . Each time, I made the adjustment and kept moving forward. I never lost hope, never despaired, never thought about packing it in. I just kept thinking about getting through to the finish - and I tried to banish any negative thoughts I had about my circumstances. I pressed on. Life's challenges can take us off track, if we allow them. But press on we must, despite what comes our way - even if those circumstances weren't of our choosing, we will be better for having persevered, for having kept the faith.
4. Pace yourself: Those who start out sprinting a marathon end up walking - and compromising their finish. I had hundreds of folks pass me early on, only to be passed during the last 10K. I hooked in with a 3:15 finish pace group from the start, and we kept a steady 7:30 (per mile) pace for every mile. I lost them when I had my shoe problems, but the steady, even pace helped ensure a strong finish. Life is a marathon - it's not a sprint. Pace is paramount - especially when up against challenges. Slow down, be deliberate, be intentional about your energy reserves always remembering that you are in it for the long haul.
5. Surround yourself with encouragers: I found fellow runners to lift up and to lift me up. I ran by a guy wearing the Phil 4:13 verse on the back of his shirt - he was walking, with six miles to go. I pulled up alongside him and said "What part of "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength" don't you believe right now?" He thanked me for the reminder and started running again, toward the finish line. I found myself in no man's land (running solo) for awhile - no place you want to be - until the 3:20 pace group caught up with me. I was encouraged by the pace coaches who kept us all focused on the "one mile at a time" mantra, and I realized my mile splits were getting faster again. One coach kept telling us how strong we looked, (despite how we felt)....it was just what we needed, when we needed it. When life gets difficult, find folks who love you unconditionally, provide the support and encouragement you need when you need it, and help carry you through life's darkest moments.
6. What doesn't kill me really does make me stronger: Finish a marathon, and you realize there aren't too many things that come your way in this life that you can't get through. The process is painful, and there is always a price to be paid. But the tougher the circumstances, the tougher you come out the other side - refined by your struggles, case hardened, as they say. If you stay the course and overcome life's challenges - no matter how difficult - you will be better prepared for whatever comes your way down the road. Some of the strongest, most determined people I have met in life are those who have overcome and persevered through the most difficult personal circumstances.
7. The tough times don't last forever - and the finish line is SO worth it!: The hills may be brutal but they are temporary. The rain may be pelting your face but it stops. The course may seem like it's endless, but soon you see mile marker 26 and hear the crowds at the finish line less than a quarter mile away. Every ache and pain you felt just a few minutes ago now seems to have left you - a smile returns to your face and no matter how many times you have done it before, it's an incredibly emotional moment. You think back to every sacrifice you made getting here, every challenge you overcame, every negative influence or relationship in your life you needed to rise above and move beyond. You have persevered, you have kept the faith through it all. The finish is your reward, and nobody can take it from you.
"I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the Faith" 2 Timothy 4:7
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