Finding Your Limits

       I started running four years ago with no idea of where it would take me or what it would bring into my life. Along the way life has brought me challenges and running has brought me comfort and many friends to get past the challenges. Now it brings it's own challenge of finding my physical limits and keeping balance in my life. My passion has brought me many opportunities as I was invited to run on a Hood to Coast relay team and selected along with nineteen others to represent the Columbus Marathon in their sister city Dresden Germany. All of this while I am training and preparing for the Burning River 100 mile endurance challenge.
     Run 100 miles "are you crazy?" "in one day?" "why?" are probably the most common responses I hear as I am asked what my next event is. The why is probably the easy because the challenge is there my competitive side is looking for the event I can win, place or show in a national event. I have found running the ultra marathon distances that you find your limits but you also find your reserves and strengths you didn't know were there. I compare to life's challenges you always can find the strengths and emotional fortitude we don't know we have. God will not give us more than we can handle we just have to accept the challenge and the love from friends and family, that is where we get our strength. The body has its limits as I have found when I ran thirty four miles on Friday followed by twenty six on Sunday. The effect was not immediate though I did feel fatigued Friday finishing when it was ninety one degrees. The effect was Wednesday morning when I overslept and missed my run, the body needed rest. I found my limits but I know that if I refuel and rest the next time sixty miles will not be as big of a challenge. Rest and recovery is where we get our strength, just like the hard work in and build from that. On the emotional side we need to build up from God and his gifts, our prayers will be answered. We have to take rest and reflection of reading his word and going to church to regain our strength. The challenge may not be ours the next time we may need to be there for someone else to give them the strength and courage to push through.
       My next blog will probably be my race report from the BR100 at the end of the month. Remember as tough as you you think it is now it is not more than you can handle, pray and be strong.