Run to Overcome

After my last 33K run I kind of felt discouraged.  It was so difficult and painful and the marathon is 9 more kilometers! 

Last week I was reading my grandfather's memoirs.  My Aunt had typed them up and made a book of it for everyone in the family.  I found it so interesting and I couldnt believe what he has lived through in his lifetime.  He lived through war, poverty, immigration to a strange country with 7 young children and a pregnant wife and had to work so hard to make it.  It made me realize how easy our  lives are now! 

One of my favourite stories in the book was when they had their 8th child.  It was shortly after they had immigrated from Holland to Canada and they were working and living on their sponsor's farm.  When my grandmother went into labour the farmer would not take them to the hospital which was around 20 miles away.  My grandfather went around to the neighbours asking for a ride.  Finally he got a ride.  They had a healthy baby boy but Oma had to stay in the hospital and Opa had to go home to their other 7 children.  He had to figure out a way to get home.  His son, my Dad, always says "There is no such word as Can't".  Now I know where he got that from.  What my Opa did was walk to his pastor's house and borrowed money to buy a bike.  Then he rode the bike home...at night....and in the winter.  He ended up going the wrong way and the trip ended up taking twice as long.  He said in his book he was very happy to get home and the children were very happy to see him because they were very worried.

I couldn't help but think of this story when I was running 33K last Saturday.  It was windy and cold and I felt nauseas.  But then I thought of my skinny Opa riding on his rickety bike in the winter trying to get home to his children.  Im sure he was cold and frustrated and wanted to give up.  If Opa can do that whats a few more kilometers!

This week I am reading a book called "Run to Overcome"  Its about Meb Keflezighi, the winner of the 2009 New York City marathon and silver medalist of the 2004 Olympic marathon.  His story is similar to my Opa in that he lived in poverty, war and immigrated to a strange country and had to work very hard.  Meb became a 5 and 10 K national champion but was encouraged to compete in the marathon.  He was expecting to do very well in his first marathon, maybe even win like Alberto Salazar did on his first marathon.  He came in 9th and was very discouraged and said he would never run another marathon.  Weeks later he went back to his homeland, Eritrea and was humbled and reminded of how simple his people lived and how easy he had it in the US.  How could he get so discouraged over a marathon!  God had blessed him with the gift of running and training was nothing compared to how hard these people worked.

Its funny how I read these two similar stories within a couple weeks.  Both lived through very difficult situations but worked hard, appreciated their blessings even in the tough times and trusted the Lord for their future.  Sometimes I feel like Im making too big a deal of this marathon and Im not even raising any money or doing it for some noble cause.  But the fact that I happened to read these 2 books in a row made me feel like God was speaking to me and encouraging me when I felt discouraged.  He always does that!  God is amazing like that.  My life IS a big deal to God!  He teaches me something in everything I do.  He wants to encourage me, a back of the pack marathon runner just as much as He encourages Meb, a marathon champion! 

Life is like a marathon.  |Its difficult and painful at times, but if we appreciate what we have, do our best, work hard and trust in the Lord we will receive the prize at the end!