I've written about why I run before.
In 2014, I ran the Gazelle Girl Half Marathon in memory of Brenda Huyser, who taught me so much about strength, perseverance, and fight. As I watched Brenda battle breast cancer, I watched her lose a lot of her mobility and other 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 25k 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. In 2015, I ran another 25k with Team Jimbo. The team consisted of me and one of my best friends. We ran for her dad, who was undergoing cancer treatments at the time. We ran to try to make sense of the world that was filled the fear and unknowns that come with a cancer diagnosis. Before I finished my last race in 2015, I wrote this, "This Sunday I am preparing to run my second half marathon. I was hoping 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." Like I said, if I was going to run a long distance race again, there would be a purpose. I skipped a few years because, well...babies, but here I am less than 2 weeks away from my next half marathon. 2018. The year my purpose is me. I've had 2 babies in 2 years. My body has changed a whole lot. So has my spirit, priorities, and schedule. After having Jade, I didn't think I could possibly run 1 mile let alone 15.5 (Disclaimer: I couldn't run 1 minute straight after having Jade). I also had no idea how I would find time to train with all of the balancing we have going on in our household. Yet, one day I decided to lace up and start from nothing in hopes of doing something for myself. I run because it's one of my biggest teachers right now. Running is so much more than a physical thing. It's spiritual and emotional too. Like yesterday, I was overwhelmed by having to drop $120+ on a new pair of running shoes because I ran holes through my current pair. I was worried they wouldn't hold up through both upcoming races and knew I had to do something. I went to the local shoe store and walked out with brand new shoes and paid ZERO DOLLARS. WHAT? As my running partner put it, "Thank you God for answering prayers I didn't know I was praying." Thank you running, for teaching me more about the kindness and protection of my God. I run because I need intentional community the most right now. My running partner has been such a blessing. She is wildly smart, patient, kind, selfless, focused, flexible, kingdom-focused, determined, and so much more. She works every long run around my schedule, encourages me in my faith, listens to what's going on in my life, and genuinely wants me to crush my goals. She starts us off strong and I struggle to keep up at the beginning. I pull us through towards the end to finish our long runs strong. This combination has helped us demolish long runs. Our shirts for Gazelle Girl say Half Sisters 13.1 (because we are running a half marathon, get it?). Sometimes we run together for 2+ hours, it creates a sisterhood. I run because it teaches me to appreciate and love my body. I'm not the smallest runner there ever was and sometimes that makes me feel insecure. Sometimes it's too easy to look at my stretch marks and stomach and start the negative self talk. But. My legs are strong enough to carry me double digit miles. How cool is that? I just can't hate a body that can take me further than I drive somedays. I run because God entrusted me with a body that can. I've said this before but I run because it sets aside literal hours to be in conversation with a good friend and my Father. I run because it continues to provide healing to broken places to my heart I will never be able to surround with words. Running has done some "heavy lifting" for me in terms of grief work and processing some of the loneliness and unmet expectations of this season of life. Running gives me hope. I run because it makes me better for my family. My kids get to see me work towards a goal and do something I care about. Without running, I would be completely swept away by full-time work and mommyland right now. I'm so proud when Nick tells me he wants to go for a run too. I've loved every race and purpose I've run for in the past 4 years. I really love this year's purpose too. Thank you Austin, for your support in this season. Thank you for letting me take off after bed time routine with the kids to run while you do dishes and laundry. Thank you for racing around on Fridays to get out early to pick up the kids so I can get in my long runs before the start of the weekend. Thank you for making me breakfast every. single. day. Thank you for verbalizing your belief in me and noticing all my hard work. This training would be absolutely impossible without you. Thank you God, for all the miles I get to run (204 since December to be exact, but who's counting?) 13.1 and 15.5 bring it on.
1 Comment
Nancy Garrett
4/12/2018 06:26:12 am
Go, Haley! So neat that you run with a purpose and use that time to refresh, de stress and spend time with the Lord! Three cheers for your supportive husband, your running partner and whoever gave you those shoes! Good luck in the upcoming race! I’ll be cheering for you! Nancy
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Hi! I'm Haley. Archives
May 2019
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