To Run Is To Be Free
10/01/12 22:07
Last Fall I began meeting once a week with an old teammate of mine to run. It has kept me running sporadically throughout each week. Due to this I am now enjoying some semblance of shape, to the extent that I at least don’t get sore after sprinting to catch one of my kids.
My cross-country season is over and that means I will be stuck in a gym coaching basketball for the next three months. I love the game of basketball, but I’m not fond of the season; it’s long and cold, and generally comes with too much senseless controversy.
Another reason I’m not fond of the season is that when basketball rolls around my coaching responsibilities greatly diminish my opportunities to run. Because of this, I’m learning to enjoy every little run that I do get. Monday was a teacher-inservice day at school and so we didn’t have to be there until 8:30. This gave me an extra hour in the morning and I used part of it to do a 2 mile run on the treadmill. Yesterday, in absolutely gorgeous weather outside, I had to run across a field to get cones for our P.E. activity. I was filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the Lord for the ability to run, even that short little distance that took less than a minute, because I know that there will be a day when I will wish I had the strength in the legs of my youth, because I know that there are people out there that are my age or younger that have suffered tragedy that has captivated them in a body with legs that are useless. I delight in the freedom that my legs afford me. To run is to be free. Too many take this for granted in their youth.
I will run when I can this winter season to escape the captivity of the gym. I will run when I can because I am not promised a healthy tomorrow. I will run when I can because each time I do I am better for it.
My cross-country season is over and that means I will be stuck in a gym coaching basketball for the next three months. I love the game of basketball, but I’m not fond of the season; it’s long and cold, and generally comes with too much senseless controversy.
Another reason I’m not fond of the season is that when basketball rolls around my coaching responsibilities greatly diminish my opportunities to run. Because of this, I’m learning to enjoy every little run that I do get. Monday was a teacher-inservice day at school and so we didn’t have to be there until 8:30. This gave me an extra hour in the morning and I used part of it to do a 2 mile run on the treadmill. Yesterday, in absolutely gorgeous weather outside, I had to run across a field to get cones for our P.E. activity. I was filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the Lord for the ability to run, even that short little distance that took less than a minute, because I know that there will be a day when I will wish I had the strength in the legs of my youth, because I know that there are people out there that are my age or younger that have suffered tragedy that has captivated them in a body with legs that are useless. I delight in the freedom that my legs afford me. To run is to be free. Too many take this for granted in their youth.
I will run when I can this winter season to escape the captivity of the gym. I will run when I can because I am not promised a healthy tomorrow. I will run when I can because each time I do I am better for it.