Saturday, March 5, 2011

Why go any further?

I finally bit the bullet and signed up for my first Ultra-Marathon? My wife who is one of my greatest supporters asked, "Why?" In her unspoken argument were words that I had often used to talk myself out of running an ultra-marathon in the past. But the question: "Why?" Summed it up.

"You're no spring chicken?" How many times has that thought stopped my hand in filling out the form? An ultra-marathon implies that it is a distance greater that the 26.2 miles. I have pushed my body through to the end on how many occasions now...like 20+. Most of the time, as much as I would like to flout my invincibility...I'm still very sore for several days afterwards...so why on God's green earth would I really want to try a distance that is further?

So why? Simply put, it is there and I have not choice but to face the challenge. Every day we face challenges that seem impossible to do, some times we face them, but more often than not we turn aside from the task and postpone or even avoid facing the challenge. For the past several years, I saw the ultra-marathon as a test that I had to face head on. But every time, I said next year, when I was in better shape, then I would do it. But this week…the realization that postponing the test was coming to an end. It was time to step forward and pick up the challenge.

God places challenges in our lives for one reason and one reason only to see us live life to the fullest. This 50K is a chance for me to live. To struggle through the valleys and over the hills that transforms the runner and more importantly the life. So now I’ll head out to do my training…and transform myself, inside and out.

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