The New York City Marathon is only 25 days away.
Last year I was posting like a maniac about the marathon. It was all I could think about and all I was focused on.
This year is different.
I think it has to do with how the race went last year. I learned so many lessons from how I ran that race but the most important one was that I finished. Even though I felt like I was going to die. And I trained like an animal.
So this year, I am still training. Very hard. Diligently. With focus. But with joy. With laughter. With friendship. Not solo. And it isn't as much about how I am hoping to finish but how I hope to run the race. It seems altogether different.
I believe that is what Jesus wants us to know in life too. It isn't about the finish, but about the life we get to live now. I read this quote from Abraham Lincoln and it has meant so much to me in this time of training,
"In the end, it is not the years in a life, but the life in the years."
That rings so true to me for this marathon training but also for the families that we are raising money for with Inheritance of Hope.
They don't have years to have life together. They have to live right now.
It puts life in perspective. And we need to be graceful with each other and ourselves. To take care of what we have and who is around us. To not miss the moments by trying to reach some obscure finish line that isn't really there.
The last three months have been amazing. I have loved the training, discipline and deep friendship that has come from running for hours alongside my best friends. When you have little guys at home, there is almost nothing you won't do for two uninterrupted hours of chatting with your friends. So running it is! I mean-we have run y'all. Here are the numbers:
Since August 1st we have run 285 miles, in 50 hours, 34 minutes. And burned 29,694 calories.
This has been work, but it has been so much fun!
And I've gotten to see the better side of me and to hear more clearly about how I've been made to give my life away so others can know how precious they are.
I'm so grateful to have met my fundraising goal due to the generosity of others. But Jenn and Amy still have a ways to go. I'd love to encourage you to give money to their funds.
Please remember, this isn't money going to us, it is going to families that are suffering with terminal illness. It is easy to give to these families. It is simply that we are fundraising on their behalf.
Their race against illness is MUCH harder than this silly 26.2 marathon that we are running. We run because they can't. They are doing what they can to simply love their families while they can.
Help us give them the trip that they can't during one of the their final years. Just look around. You know someone who was just diagnosed with cancer. Or who has been fighting for a long time. They can't possibly pay for a vacation. These families need a break.
$25 or $50 will add up quickly. I promise! Even if you don't know Jen or Amy, go donate. It will be the biggest blessing to them AND YOU.
We run in 25 days y'all!
