Run Report

Posted by Joe Thorn - 13/12/07

Yeah, I’m still running and loving it more all the time. I run 8, 5 and 3.1 mile runs during the week. People have been asking about the cold weather - especially since this is my first winter running around outside. The good news is the cold hasn’t been an issue at all. In fact I have really enjoyed running in the cooler temps of 19°-25°. What has slowed me down is the ice. The ice is terrible. Nevertheless I have continued to run, just a bit more carefully when I can’t avoid the ice. The last two days have been so unusually busy with ministry I had to choose between eating breakfast with the kids and running. The kids of course came first. But I may be able to squeeze in a run before a meeting I have this afternoon. 5 Miles from the church building means a sink bath. Those work so well.

For a few weeks I was stuck at 150 lbs, but have finally this week dropped solidly into the 140’s. I am down well over 30 lbs now and feeling great.

I have found that all runners have a lot of inner dialog with themselves. Much of it, especially for us beginners, boils down to an argument between the old self and the new self; something not altogether different from the inner struggle against sin. Just as fasting teaches us about the nature of contentment, dependence on God, and denying self, I am finding that the discipline of running teaches me a lot about the nature of perseverance and becoming. This commercial from Nike, “Reincarnate Now,” encourages us to leave the “old self” behind. It’s beautiful and relates to more than becoming a runner. Check it out.

…put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24

4 Comments

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  1. I have an inner dialog with myself as I run as well. Just as you said, I pretty much turn every run into a little parable about persevering as I go, meditating on Scriptural exhortations to “run the race with endurance.” I have found, oddly, that I find this mindset easier to maintain without my iPod, so I have started going back and forth using it.

    By the way, I like this clip. It reminds me of the scene when Gollum talks to himself in “The Two Towers.”.

    Comment by Brad WIlliams — December 14, 2007 #

  2. Wow,
    I can relate to this dialog on film in a spiritual as well as the physical. I was almost moved to tears. Thanks for pointing out this clip.

    Comment by Curtis — December 14, 2007 #

  3. Joe, Great job running! I just got a Garmin forerunner 101, which gives your pace, distance, and time. This will help my running because I hate running predetermined routes, so I usually just run for time. I hope this will allow me to run where the wind blows while keeping track of my time and distance.

    Comment by Jeff T — December 19, 2007 #

  4. Joe … keep running! When I “was” (heart attack & surgery Oct 4) running the hardest thing to do was “tie the shoes”. Great youtube video … I have captured it and will show it as a sermon clip for my NY Day message. Thanks for sharing it. Congrats on the loss of 30 “LB’s” … keep running and leave the old self behind.

    Comment by Bob — December 25, 2007 #

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