Inspiration- no complacency!

I have almost completed 11 weeks of my one year running project. At this point, I am slightly ahead of schedule. I should log 227 miles by tomorrow. So far, no injuries have occurred- just a lot of miles booked on a treadmill. I won’t mix it up with outside until it warms up a bit. I have noticed, however, that I am committed but have lost a little inspiration along the way. It has become just another responsibility that I need to get done. The other slightly disappointing thing is that despite running close to 21 miles a week on average, I have gained weight. Go figure…

This week, I have had the pleasure of watching my middle son qualify for and compete in the State Championship swim meet. He doesn’t swim year-round and this was a big deal. Despite being surrounded by those better trained, he continued to look for ways to improve his performance. Not only did he have a personal best at Regionals, he had another personal best at the States and supported his teammates. He tried to improve his own times regardless of how they compared to others. And, he contributed to his relay team. He was inspired to do better…

Today, I also talked to my oldest about what he was currently focused on in his journey of recovery. His answer was avoiding complacency in recovery and finding ways to grow. He went on to explain that he recognizes that sobriety is step one toward a truly meaningful life. He said, “You must stay active and persistent and yearn for growth. You gotta want it as bad as you want to breathe. Or you can just settle for good enough. I’m not spending one more day of my life settling.” Wow, what words laden with perseverance and courage! Believe it or not my middle son then sent me a note to read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. “Run in such a way to get the prize…They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that lasts forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly…”

Truly, God spoke inspiration through my sons. My running project is more than just steps that will result in a 1000 miles over time. It is a God-inspired journey for me. I will look for different approaches to my running including interval training and a focus on nutrition. And as my oldest focuses on avoiding complacency in his recovery journey; so will I. And has he looks for ways to grow in the process, so will I. I will not run aimlessly but with a God-awareness. And today, I will run inspired by my sons!