He Created Us to Run 

Post #4 of Sarah’s Post-It Note Inspirations Blog Series

I have been running a lot lately. I started running more this summer, and that turned into running my first half marathon at the end of August. I kept it up and ran the Twin Cities 10 Mile Race the second weekend of October. The medals I received in each race are displayed in the picture below.

I love running because it clears my head and improves my mood. It allows me to slow down, metaphorically, and just reflect. It allows me to just “be.” Often times, it serves as a needed escape from the busyness and the current hardships that I am facing that day. I told this to my roommates, “If I am really grumpy, tell me to go for a run,” and it has actually worked on more than one occasion. Running rejuvenates me. It provides me strength and hope.

I believe I am not alone in these thoughts, and that a lot of people feel these same feelings after exercising. However, I have really come to love running in particular because of the fact that almost everyone can do it. I understand that there are certain circumstances that inhibit people from running, but I do believe that for most cases, if you can walk, then you can run. I believe God created us to run; it is something we were made to do. Maybe not everyone was made to run far, or made to run fast, but in my mind, everyone was made to run.

In both of the last two races, I ran to finish. I was not trying to run at a World Record pace, I was solely trying to finish the race. And that I did, crossing the finish with a huge smile on my face, feeling grateful for the opportunity to run, and feeling thankful that I was finished with the race. Usually when I am running, whether it is in a race or not, I am not trying to push myself as hard as I possibly can, but I am just trying to get some exercise and enjoy myself. I am not running to beat anybody, I am not running to win, I am just running to run.

I run to finish, but ultimately in life, I want to run to win.

Our lives are a race. As each of us run our own race on the individualized path He has set before us, let’s encourage each other to run to win, to win in this one race He has given us. We should strive to run a race with all our heart, leaving everything we have on the racing grounds. We should strive to do as well as we can, to follow the path He has created for us, and to help others run their race so that when we reach the end, we can feel as if though we have truly finished, and receive our heavenly reward. And most of all, may we remember to be thankful for the race He has blessed us with, the life He has given us.

So although when I am running I run to finish, in life, I run to win.