Running and Knee Problems

Okay, here's the deal - I'm having a knee issue. Of course this is most problematic for a runner! And quite disheartening, but I'm trying to be a good sport about it.

In my last blog I mentioned my right knee making some fuss at me after getting in a 6 miler on the 18th of March. I rested for two days and then ran 4 miles on Wednesday the 21st. My knee continued to be somewhat aggravated for whatever reason. I rested another two days and then ran a 5 miler on Saturday the 24th. My right knee is now yelling at me with enough decibels to warrant a doctor's visit. So, I made one. I'll be going this Monday and I'm guessing I'll need to have an xray or MRI done. My knee is making a popping noise and doing this "locking-up" thing. According to my symptoms, and from my home work on the web, I think I may be taking a little time off of running. But we'll see what the doctor says.

I've been doing the R.I.C.E. thing - Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation as well as taking motrin. It does seem to help.

I am supposed to run a 5K on Sunday. I signed up weeks ago, but it probably wouldn't be wise to run it. I am tempted though. It is a great course! It's flat and I got my best PR there last year, plus came home with a second place medal for my age group. It was a lot of fun and I was really looking forward to running it again. But I just don't know.

I am having to trust the Lord with perhaps another season of laying down something I truly love to do. And I know every time I've had to surrender my running shoes, it has always been a blessing in disguise. I see the Lord is continuing to redirect my focus and direction. I only wish it could have been during the cold winter months. Not being able to run in the Spring weather is indeed a big bummer, but I will try not to despair too much. One thing is certain, when I know it's time to get new running shoes, I'm not going to put it off for another 3 months! Sometimes we're really just suffering the consequences of our own foolishness. Maybe that's what's happening this time. Whatever the reason or cause for my knee issue, I will believe God can work it for good in my life by bringing deeper trust, deeper sanctification, and deeper submission to Him. And those are things I want my heart to "run" miles and miles in!

Running into Spring

It is official. I have seen the first flowering blooms of the happy daffodils which for me indicates that Spring has arrived. I just love this bright yellow flower! It brings such a sweet joy to my heart. I call them the "happy flower." And whenever I tell my kids I have daffodil happiness, they know that I am very happy.

The daffodils prepare me for the coming resurrection. They remind me that Easter is just around the corner, the most joyous day for the Christian. Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins and has risen to new life. From the depths of the grave He breaks forth. Death has been defeated. Jesus is the Victor and because of His death, burial and resurrection, I have experienced the New Birth and can now walk in victory. The sting of sin and death cannot hold me down and like the daffodils, by the merciful grace of God, I can break through the hardness of winter's soil into the warmth light of the Son! I can live and move and have my being in Christ. I can be filled with His Holy Spirit and thereby have the power to walk in a manner that pleases the Lord. And that is why daffodils make me happy!

As I ran last week, getting in 4 miles on Monday and 4 miles on Wednesday I saw the first of the daffodils that have bloomed along my course. This put a spring in my step and I enjoyed both runs. It was actually a pretty crazy and busy week so I was happy to get in those two days of running. Thursday was packed with appointments and meetings. We were able to visit for several hours with some dear friends from Moscow, Idaho who were passing through town. Then Friday was busy as well. I spent the afternoon at a local Christian school speaking to 4th - 8th grade girls and their mothers on the topic of modesty. It was a wonderful afternoon, but by the time I got home, I was exhausted from the week and decided I would run the next day. So, the next day came bringing snow with it of all things! I was hoping to run 6 or 7 miles, but not on my treadmill. I decided to run the next day. Sunday came and I got in a good 6 mile run.

Today is Monday and I'm feeling a little discomfort in my right knee. Not sure what that's all about, but one thing is for sure, I need to spend that Christmas money I received for new shoes and just go do it and do it this week!

Running in a New Direction

Today is Sunday. It is an "off" running day for me. But I am behind in logging and blogging so here goes: last Tuesday I ran 4 outside and last Thursday I ran 4 outside. I was fortunate to have some pretty good weather - both days were in the 40's and fairly sunny.

Yesterday was significant. In order to reach my goal of slowly increasing my mileage up to 10 miles the week before running the half marathon on April 15th, I needed to get 6 miles in. So, that was my training plan for yesterday - run 6 miles. It was the best run in the best weather I had in a long time. Signs of Spring were everywhere - the warm sunny weather (60+ degrees), the fresh mulch that the neighborhood landscapers recently put down and the lovely aroma that came with it!, birds singing, more folks out for walks than I had seen in a while, and the first of the daffodils making their way through the ground - just the green leafy parts, no yellow flowers yet! Besides that, I ran without my under armor! I was able to wear my t-shirt without the extra layer underneath. I didn't need any gloves or my ear band. It was great.

Nothing so much significant about any of that, until midway into my run something came to me, something familiar to those begotten of God and that was His still small Voice. As I was running, minding my own business, just doing my running thing, training for the half marathon I had set my mind to do, God unexpectedly spoke a very clear word to me. The Lord told me to lay down my 1/2 marathon plans on the 15th and go to "Battle Cry" - a major youth conference with my daughter and some other folks from my church. It was as if the Lord placed His hands on both sides of my face and set it in a new direction and said, "This is where I want you on that weekend." As I ran with such a sense that God had just intervened in my life with new plans, His plans, I began to cry. I was literally overcome by that still small voice - still, yet like a towering wave heaped upon me; small, yet like a thunderous crack breaking through the plans I had set for myself. It was as clear as the blue sky I was running under. And it came so very unexpectedly!

What do you do when this kind of thing happens? Well, I just kept running - only now yielding to a new direction. How funny I had just wrote about "different/opposite directions" in my last blog. I had no idea whatsoever that I would soon be running in a new direction myself. If you could only know how I had my own plans so thoroughly made. They were just so set. Months ago, when I first heard about the conference, I thought to myself, "Wow, that sounds great, too bad I already have plans for that weekend." Then weeks ago when it was promoted at church with some very motivating video clips, again I thought, "Oh well, sure wish it was on a different weekend." I never once thought, "Hmm, maybe I should pray and see if God wants me to go to this conference."

Oh, the tender mercies and graces of God that come to our life! Sometimes so unexpectedly they just side swipe you off your course and land you right where God wants you! Yes, I am surrendering my running shoes to God on the weekend of the 15th of April. And I am going to follow His still small voice to caravan with a host of saints to Detroit, Michigan. I am most confident He will meet me there. As for my dreams to run a full marathon one day, and the half marathon for a second time in my life on the 15th of April, I accept it will not take place at the time I had hoped. I am going to continue to train for the half as if I would be running it just to let myself know or anyone else for that matter know, that I am not trying to get out of something that is difficult. I'm sure there's another half marathon race to enter somewhere soon. I'll keep my eye out for one and we'll see what direction the Lord will lead me as I seek out a different half to enter.

Running in Opposite Directions

Haven't ran since last Monday and haven't logged since last Wednesday. I had a sore throat last week that turned into a cold. Today I finally felt like I was kicking the virus and so I went out for a 4 mile run. It was sunny and in the mid 40's. There was a breeze in the air every now and then and I was fortunate to have it at my back at various times during my course.

I felt pretty good, but didn't push it too much. At a couple different spots during my run and from a distance I could see another runner. At first I didn't know if the runner was running in the same direction as I was or if they were running towards me. The closer I came to the other runner the clearer I could see. Both runners, at different times in my course were running towards me. That meant they were running in the opposite direction that I was going. That meant I wouldn't catch up to them and run in the same direction with them, but it would mean I could see their faces and we would eventually pass by each other. The first runner was a woman. She seemed happy like me to see another runner on the road. We both exchanged friendly smiles and broke our huffing and puffing to give a verbal "hi!" I wondered how long she had been running, how far she was planning on running or if she was training for an upcoming event. As we ran in opposite directions I wondered if she shared my thought of thinking how nice it would be to run together every now and then with another fellow runner - in the same direction.

I do love to run alone enjoying the presence of God. But on occasion I think it would be a sweet change to run with another human - sharing a similar pace, running at times in tandum, talking and conversing about this and that and just knowing you're with someone who loves to run like you do.

The second runner who also ran in the opposite direction I was running in seemed very focused. He had one of those strapped on h20 tanks with a tube near his mouth. No doubt he was a serious runner, putting out the mileage and probably training for a big run. He didn't even give me eye contact as we passed by or a greeting. He was into his run and for reasons he alone knows, did not want any distraction to his intense focus. I can respect that! That's exactly how I feel when I approach a finish line to a race. Although I may hear friends or family from the sidelines cheering me on to the finish, I am so totally focused all I can concentrate on is crossing over that line and finishing well.

As I reflected on the two runners I saw today running in the opposite direction than I was going, many parallels about the race of faith came to mind. Here are just a few of those thoughts:
Christians are called to be in the world, but not of the world. That means I will be running in a different direction than a non-believer. For example, while they may run to alcohol or drugs for escape and temporary comfort and pleasure, I can be filled with the Spirit and know true peace and joy. While they may use people to meet their needs without relational commitment, I can enter into a lasting covenant with one person and be swept away by the depth of unconditional love. On a different thought, Christians can also be running in opposite directions but still be building the same Kingdom. There are as the Scriptures teach a variety of ministries and varying gifts. That means some of us are called to the same area of ministry while others are called in a whole different direction. But we're still serving the same Jesus, we're still on the same team, just running differently in the horizontal but the same in the vertical. The more I grow in grace, the more I appreciate the diversity in the body of Christ. Unfortunately, some Christians run in the opposite direction when it may not be the best thing. And they are running to get away - away from truth, from conviction, from the way that is narrow.

Scripture reminds us that the road is broad that leads to destruction and many are they that find that path; but narrow is the way that leads to life and few are those that are led in that direction. When Christians opt for the broad path it is running in the opposite direction that God would have for their life. I have seen this at times occur not only in my own life, but in the lives of some dear Christians I know.

All around there are runners running in this thing called life. Everyday they pass me by. Either seduced by the world, or led by the Spirit, or temporarily wayward, they're out there on the road. I pray that I can stay on course, while still being effective in the lives of those who pass me by - running in the opposite direction.