The race is just hours away. The rain is en route too but that is okay!:) Congratulations to everyone who will be participating and God bless you on your journey! Here is another good piece that isn’t just for physical runners, it’s a good illustration of our “life race” in general.
Dear Father,
Accept our gratitude for providing a land that affords the liberty to choose our pursuits. As we freely choose to run, we pray you also will freely bestow your blessings upon us.
Remind us that true liberty is the result of investing ourselves fully in life while encouraging others to do the same. Grant that we may give our best to this contest and to each other without hesitation.
Help us to breathe deeply of the wonder of this day. Remove that which encumbers our spirit. Energize us with possibilities and potential. May our hearts be passionate and our minds be alert.
Accept our thanks for the sense of release running brings to life. Help us leave behind the confines of hectic schedules and the burden of stressful tasks. May the load of life be lightened as we willingly embrace the weight of the challenge before us.
Free us from the constraints imposed upon us by the opinions of others. Release us from fruitless negativity which speaks of what we cannot do. Liberate us from small thinking so that we may achieve greater goals. Teach us through running that we can do more than we think and accomplish more than we realize.
You are our Creator. As we embark on this day’s journey, help us appreciate the world you have made. Remind us that we too are your creation. Give us the capacity to cherish the uniqueness of each individual who runs with us.
Grant that our love of running will also reflect our gratitude for the One who makes it possible. May both the Giver and those who receive freely commune so that when the finish draws near, we also will be drawn closer together.
Amen!!!
You can check out my time and final results tomorrow (hopefully shortly after 9am) at the official Akron Roadrunner Marathon website. I expect to have a slower time just based on the challenging course (I’ve heard the hills are a bear) and the fact rainy weather is expected. Still, I WILL finish and I pray everyone else will too with healthy bodies and good times. See you at the finish line!:)
Leave a Reply