Running With A New Friend

Well, today I ran with a new friend. And my new friend made my run very sweet. I really didn't think I would enjoy the companionship as much as I did. I always thought I'd miss the quiet and solitude, but it's not how I felt. Strangely, I think I could run quite often with this friend, this new friend who happens to actually be my new nano ipod!

It was given as a gift. I'm quite sure I would've never bought one for myself. But I ran 4 miles with it today and I can't believe how much fun I had. I first listened to some training lectures on marathon running and then I listened to a few songs. My run went by so fast and I didn't even think about the run much since I was listening so intently to my new friend. I wasn't sure how well it would work, but I decided to just go for it. I didn't know if the ear phones would stay in, but they did, and I didn't have an arm band to hold it in. I just held the ipod in my hand and that worked fine. What a clever little handy gadget!

With this new friend, I feel even more confident that training for a marathon may be doable if my body can hold it together. I have not yet made this decision, but feel closer to it than ever before. I will have to have a family conference to get all of them to give a vote of confidence and full fledged support. I'll probably also go to the doctor just to make sure all is okay. Last night I bought a book on marathon training for first timers and I also commented on Dean Kardazes blog to let him know his incredible journey has been spurring me on to make the huge leap into marathon land.

As a Christian runner, I really want to know God's favor in all this. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt He led me to run the half marathon in April of '05. He was teaching me much about endurance. He is continueing to teach me about endurance so we'll see. I am watching for His green light and know it will come if He wants me to go for it. Running is a gift. And I know it has brought me closer to Jesus in many ways. It has also taught me much about running the race of faith. It will never be a substitute for the disciplines of the faith such as the Word, prayer, and fellowship with believers in a local church. But I have drawn from God as I have run and, like Eric Liddell said in Chariots of Fire, I also passionately say - "when I run, I feel His pleasure!"