Lesson 1 Part 3
#3 The More You Work At It/Practice/ Put In The Effort The better You Get!
This one seems easy. Something we can all grab ahold of. The more you put into something, obviously the more you are going to get out of it. The more you practice at running or anything else, the better you perform. You grow, from walking, to jogging, to running. You run faster and farther. It’s the same with our Christian life.
I want to read you a short story from a professional runner. It offers advice she would give to runners.
“Tatyana Pozdnyakova, Female age 55, April 20, 2010
Tatyana and her husband Alex Zagoruyko moved to the US in 1997 from the former Soviet Union. They have lived and trained in Gainesville, FL and currently reside in Eugene, OR. For many years, Tatyana came and ran in the Boston 1/2 marathon often bringing several other excellent runners with her. We have known her for many years and respect her as a world class runner but also as a wonderful person and true ambassador for the sport.
Tatyana wrote: At first I would like to ask people:
Do you love to run? Do you want to run for life? Do you want to improve your performance?
If your answer for these questions is yes, no experience needed for fast or slow; for beginners or old runners. Running is the perfect exercise for anybody. From beginners to professional runners, training programs are built to get everybody across the finish line. So make running part of your daily schedule and pick a regular running time that works best for you.
Your endurance will improve but you have to train it. We can’t train our endurance by by sitting on the couch and watch a sport channel. So we need to run. It’s hard but if you lace your shoes and open the door you will go to run. It’s easy.
I have a couple of suggestions from me and my husband who is a coach. These apply from beginners to veterans:
1. COACH. Without a coach you never train properly.
2. TRAINING PARTNER(s). This will help you push yourself in your training program.
3. REGULAR TRAINING. Run long and hard. Run on trails, grass and other soft surfaces.
4. RECOVERY. Between long and hard runs, run slowly on your easy days. Sleep more and you can also do a massage and use a sauna. If training, then train. If resting, rest. Don’t mix these.
5. AVOID INJURY. If something is bothering you don’t be greedy. Take a day or two off from training. Tend to any injury immediately. Take time off to heal and then resume training.
6. Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water both during workouts and between them.
7. Emphasize a mix of family, daily exercise and happiness. Be sure to smile. And remember running improves physical fitness, strengthens the heart, lungs and major muscles but running also reduces our stress.
I wish to bring some passion for your running, fitness and exercise! My goal: Running is the best way to stay young! I am running from 18 years old till now, almost 36 years and I love to run. Running is my life. It doesn’t matter how old are you. So go for a run and you’ll see how possible it is.
Final note. Some thought was given whether to Americanize the English and we opted for the “true version” as it was kindly sent to us. Thank you Tatyana for your contributions to the web site.”
(You can see this story an more like it here:
http://www.runforlife.com/full-stories.html
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I thought this advice she gave for runners fit so well with my point of what you put into it you get out. I loved the ideas behind what she had to say.
1. COACH. We have the greatest coach ever!! We have Jesus, our example who showed us how to run this race. He motivates us and encourages us not to give up, to keep going, to keep giving it our all. When we fall, He is there to pick us up, to help us push forward.
2. TRAINING PARTNER(s). Our training partners are our brothers and sisters in Christ. They are running right along beside us. We help each other carry on. We are there for each other.
3. REGULAR TRAINING. Being a Christian isn’t always easy. We are going to face rocky paths that are going to make running this race very hard! We have to work at it, we have to practice, we have to train, we have to be determined and dedicated that this is what we want to do. 1 Cor. 9:26-27 “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” Paul knew he had to run with a purpose and with discipline! It takes effort, you can’t just watch, you have to put the effort in!
4. RECOVERY. We have to take time to rest and recover. You have to take time to meditate, to refresh your relationship with God. Spend time in His word, gaining strength and inspiration to carry on. This is so important when the world tries to hard to slow us down, to make us stop and get off track. We have to take time to recover from the world’s pressures!
5. AVOID INJURY. We must be careful! We must be watchful for those things that would trip us up and cause us to stumble and fall. We must be wary of the pitfalls of life. Of the traps that Satan lays before us!
6. Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water both during workouts and between them. We must take care of ourselves. We must feed ourselves on what is good and acceptable, a diet rich in God’s word.
“God’s word is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions.” We must hunger and thirst for righteousness.
7. Emphasize a mix of family, daily exercise and happiness. Be sure to smile. And remember running improves physical fitness, strengthens the heart, lungs and major muscles but running also reduces our stress. There isn’t much else to be said for this last one! It is great advice. Get your family involved. Have friends that share your desire to be pleasing to the Lord. “Exercise” your Christian faith daily, do something positive for Him that will lift you and those around you. Choose to be happy, to be at peace, to find joy in your life and what He brings to it. Don’t let this world run you into the mud. Chose to run and finish your race with Joy! Like Paul!
Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. “
Hope you are enjoying the notes, please check back soon for the rest!! If you missed the first 2 posts you can find them here…
Lesson 1 Part 1
http://myhouseandme.com/2012/07/24/youth-day-notes-part-1/
Lesson 1 Part 2
http://myhouseandme.com/2012/07/25/youth-day-notes-part-2/
