Finding My Running Stride
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By Julie Woodruff
Few things in life are as attractive to me as my blue Adidas running
shoes and a trail of black asphalt. Anyone who is a runner knows what I am
talking about. Hitting the open road and chasing fresh air has a certain
gratification to it. I have not been running much lately, but my last run was a
few weeks ago. It was on the treadmill, because it was too dark to run outside.
I watched my feet one by one as they walked below me on the rattling black
belt. My lungs started to wince and my ankles reminded me that they were tired
and were not in the mood to work hard. I often ask myself why I love a good run
especially when it hurts my body so much. But I know why. It is the feeling of
the finish line. It is the feeling when I break free of lethargy into a
well-oiled stride and both feet and hands begin to move in line with my stream
of thoughts. My stream of thoughts begins to mirror my blood flow.
This is my stride. Here I know it is no longer sugar and caffeine
propelling me forward. My body is not strong enough to push itself past this
point. Stimulated or not, something besides my mental logic or human ability,
is pushing me forward. The rhythm of running holds lessons about life. Every
runner has a stride-the place where every bone, joint, muscle, limb and thought
fall into line with the rhythms in their head. This is a place where desire and
energy may tire but the grace of God and human determination is much greater.
Only seasoned runners, those who have trained and disciplined themselves to
extend the extra-distance, find their stride. It is a desperate pursuit, one
worth making. Desperate pursuits are what can unlock extraordinary
opportunities.
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Regent students have recently passed the half-way point in the fall
2009 semester. After finishing my first semester at Regent, I understand now
why my advisor was confused as to why I committed to eighteen credits this
semester. It is a challenging task to complete college. If you have passed the
half-way marker through this semester and are still running the race, you are
commendable. It is all the more reason to start looking for a stride. The
semester is still not over. There is still living and learning ahead.
Running
like a sprinter from one goal to the next is exhausting. It leaves no time for
living, and meaningful things in between goals. Sprinters don't find a stride
like long-distance runners do. A stride is much more than learning to save and
exert energy, it is the act of learning how to rest and trust that things will
work and are already working. Humans cannot thwart the plans of God, no matter
what we do. In desperate times when life seems stressful or out of control,
pressing on secures the finish line. Quitting means loosing everything. Life is
a marathon, not a sprint. There is always time for living. No need to rush to
the end of the semester.
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