Getting This Temple Moving!

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I sit way too much!  I spend countless hours in front of this computer.  Cookies that find their way into the church office stand no chance!  When I was younger, my body could handle all that.  No longer!  Even though I played basketball a couple times a week, in the past year I found myself attracted to ‘comfort band’ pants…ones with elastic that let me delude myself I was the same size as I’d always been.  Something had to give!

Because of this, a few months ago I set a goal: to run in the Eyota Days 5K road race in July.  For experienced runners, a simple 5K is just a warm up.  For those of us who haven’t run that far in years…challenges abounded.  I’ve run off and on (mostly off) over the past years.  Even when I did run, the runs were short and intense.  I had to find a way to slow down and stretch the run to be able to survive a full 5K (which amounts to 3.1 miles).  I don’t think that I’d run that far since my high school cross country days (and I only ran cross country back then because my basketball coach made me!).

In April I finally strapped on my running shoes and dragged myself out of the house.  It took all my energy just to breathe!    I found myself walking for a while because my lungs just couldn’t take it.  I’d stagger home feeling miserable.

 After running for a few weeks, my lungs felt better … but my legs gave out.  It felt like I had lead weights dragging along under me.  I again had to walk a bit to allow them to rest.  I could barely take it!

Suddenly, a few weeks ago, everything seemed to fall into place.  For the first time in my life I began to understand the ‘second wind’ that many runners talk about.  Breathing now comes easily.  My legs continue to gain strength.  When I run, I enter a ‘zone’ where I can just keep chugging along for quite some time.   I know that I’m not breaking any world’s records, but I’m getting into shape.   

God has given me this body to care for!  I’m finally taking that seriously.

Who wants to join me in the Eyota Days 5K on Friday, July 15^th (or, if you’re from out of town, who will get themselves into shape for a 5K where you live!)?