Wake up call

Tempo Run
.62 mile warm
3 miles, 24:49 (8:06) (8:33) (8:10)
.75 mile cool


After watching college cross-country races on Youtube, I have come to the conclusion that in order to place in the top ten for smaller meets (think 120 runners) you need to race in the 18 minute zone. To place between 10 and 30 you need to clock within the 19 minute zone. To place between 30 and 50 you need to be in the 20 minute zone. After that, you can fall anywhere between 60 and last place.
 At my current level of fitness, I would probably be bringing up the rear in a collegiate race. This is definitely a wake up call for me. If I can whittle down my time to 22 minutes by the fall, then I will be alright. If I eventually get to the 21 and 20 zone, then I can place higher. If I dig deep and find a miracle, I can break the 20 zone.

I have never been in a situation where I have allowed myself to go all out, to dig deep mentally and physically. I was a decent runner in highschool, placing between 10 and 20 something out of 70 in meets, but I just didn't dig. Was it the fact that the team was in a state of reconstruction? That my work-outs weren't long or challenging enough? I have a few theories, but I know that I enjoyed serving as the Captain for my team, watching the confidence of my teammates grow as they passed new milestones. I remember one Freshman runner who was estatic when she ran her first full mile without stopping. Another runner who had never imagined that she could run from our school to the beach and back, but found herself running the route on a weekly basis. When I become discouraged over my times, I remind myself why I run - to help others improve, to inspire others, to be a source of encouragement, and to experience a certain kind of freedom that only comes with running shorts and sneakers.

Running reminds me of my full dependence on God and causes me to thank Him for the mere ability to run. I am blessed to be have been born in a family that can afford things I take for granted such as running sneakers. I am blessed to be born in a society that doesn't forbid women from basic freedoms such as lacing up their sneakers and heading out the door. And although I may have questioned it at times, I have been blessed by going to a high school that doesn't have a windfall of funding or a well-oiled running program. Because of it, I avoid looking down on others and have learned the importance of humility in leadership.

Romans 12:7-8

"If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly."