Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Day 60 Back Off!

Last Saturday, I tucked two baby snickers in my pocket and headed out on a long, long run.  My beloved husband was going to follow along later on his bike for conversation and passing me an occasional water bottle.  As I headed down our street, barely two blocks from home, I first felt a twinge in my knee and then a block or two more, a sharper pain.  At this point, I knew that I was toast.  I pushed it for a couple more blocks and then realized there was no way I was even going to reach the next intersection.  Game over.  I began walking back, thinking that my running career was over.  I stopped and stretched a couple of times, and before I could reach home, my knee loosened up.  I turned around and began running again.  Just a fluke, I thought.

It is amazing how God has designed the human body.  When something is wrong, a warning system kicks into gear.  That warning system is called “pain.”  And the prescription for most athletes is to “back off.”  That evening and the next day, my knee hurt, and my hamstring was tight and tender.  I began Vitamin I therapy (Ibruprophen), iced my leg, added a couple of rest days, and then just jogged a short distance the past couple of days.  I didn’t have to quit completely, I just needed to back off a bit. 

And sometimes I just need to be aware that I am not running in life on my own energy either.  I need to back off and acknowledge Who keeps me going.

Blessed be the LORD

Who daily bears us up.

             Psalm 68.19

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