This Sunday I am preparing to run my second half marathon. I was hoping that after finishing my first half marathon and 25k last May I would never, ever have to run another long distance race again.
Sore knees, blisters, broken toenails, and huge time commitments were some of the selfish reasons I was hoping not to run another long distance race. However, the biggest reason I had this hope was because I knew that if I was going to run another long distance race, there would have to be a purpose. And usually with purpose, comes pain, suffering, and growth. Last year, I ran the Gazelle Girl in memory of Brenda Huyser, who taught me so much about strength, perseverance, and fight. As I watched Brenda fight breast cancer, I watched her lose a lot of her mobility and physical capabilities. I knew I could no longer take the body God had entrusted me for granted, so I started to run. Shortly after the Gazelle Girl, I ran the Riverbank with Team Paul. I was praying for Mrs. Sytsema, my 3rd grade teacher, and her two sweet girls, who lost their husband and dad unexpectedly the year before. I was running because I wanted others to know and experience the hope that outshines grief. This year, I'm running with one of my very best friends. We are running for her dad, and others who are undergoing treatments for cancer, and in doing so, losing their strength and health. It has been really difficult to watch my best friend experience such deep pain and fear. Sometimes I have no words, and sometimes she doesn't either, but we have legs and we use them to make sense of the world. I am thankful for the hours God has give us to unplug, hit the road, and talk things out. From cancer, to boys, to foster care, to Taylor Swift, we've talked about it. Every conversation, every silly dance after completing a mile, every judgement for running in cotton Calvin Christian Basketball hoodies from freshman year, every post-run bathing suit jacuzzi time, I am grateful for. Because of God's grace, I run because I can right now. I run because it sets aside literal hours to be in conversation with friends and with my Father. I run because in such an unexpected way, it has brought healing to a lot of really broken places in my heart that I have never been able to surround with words. This weekend, we will run all the miles, with joy and gratitude. Jen, let's do this thing.
1 Comment
James Heersema
4/14/2015 01:17:11 am
That last paragraph will be in my mind during my marathon this weekend. Thanks!
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Hi! I'm Haley. Archives
May 2019
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