"Running, to me, has always been an intricate juggle of pleasure and pain. I like a side order of suffering with my beauty or I just don't feel right; splendor without effort seems like cheating and diminishes my enjoyment (a concept that nonrunners, I've noted, don't often grasp)." -Michael Finkel
I find it so true. I enjoy the pain that comes with training for races and just pushing myself physically. Something about the soreness after a hard workout is so satisfying. I've always been this way. I enjoy a little pain in my accomplishments. I enjoy disciplining my body. Something about discipline is attractive to me (rightly so). Being disciplined in eating or studies or other areas that require self-control are commonly admired, why not running?
The Bible calls a Christian walk a race. A race, I've learned, takes a lot of training and envolves pain and accomplishment. Without the effort of pushing yourself to the threshold of pain you aren't sure you gave it everything you had. The Christian walk is the same. You must prepare for the race (or races). Trials will come, but after them if you've trained there is accomplishment even if there was pain. God uses trials to grow us and mature us just like training and races season runners and make them stronger and better. I was sore for days after my last 10k race, but I knew I pushed myself safely to the edge of my ability which gave me pleasure in that pain. When I discipline myself with household chores and scripture study, sometimes it's hard but in the end I am better for it.
I don't want to sound like I enjoy running always, just the past saturday, I started a run (not enjoying it) and finished wishing I hadn't run. Most of the time at the end of a run I'm glad, but this time I was numb from cold and didn't really have much enjoyment. Those runs are rare.
Just like in other areas of life, sometimes I just don't want to do it (like laundry, reading, dishes, etc). It takes endurance, perseverance and discipline to finish well.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 1:12
Christ endured the Cross for us, let's press on and run our race.
My next physical race will be the Flying Pig half-marathon, until then I press on.
