If you are a runner and blogger, at some time you have probably written a post entitled "Why I run". Until recently I never really felt compelled to answer that question.
A friend who is a far more talented and dedicated athlete than me recently experienced an excruciating injury. She has probably wondered why this happened and what her future athletic career will be like. She loves God and so I have no doubt that she will be looking out for the lessons He has to teach her in these days.
Listening to her tell her story caused me to think a lot about my own running history. I began running in February 2004, in a beginning running program sponsored by our local running club. That 7K run led to my first marathon in October 2004. There have been a handful of marathons, a few triathlons, and a handful of 5ks with my kids since then. In all that time, the only injury I have endured was a brief spell of shin splints that made the down hill runs in San Francisco a really "fun" adventure. I know that the intensity of my training probably could have used a little kick from time to time, but I wondered why in all that time I have been injury free. Every time I think about this I am left with the same conclusion: God wants me to run. Not just running, but running with a purpose.
So the answer is: I run because I can. I can get out of bed early in the morning, lace up my sneakers and take to the road. Along the way I can tell people about children who are in danger. Children who are hurting. Children who need our help.
The next time I line up at the Start line will be on June 9th at the Chicago Half-Marathon. Before I get there I would really love to meet my goal of raising $750 for As Our Own. I would appreciate your support to help build a future for those girls.
