BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Celebrate the Runner You are Now

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about comparison. This is something we've talked about before but a subject that bears repeating since so many runners struggle with measuring their current self against their younger self or against the runners around them. In other words, they ascertain or assess the quality or value of their running performance against standards that are equivalent to measuring apples to oranges or sliders to trail shoes. They're both fruit and footwear but they're totally different. 

Think about it like this… as runners, we are the same in the way we share a love of putting on foot in front of the other for miles at a time--but we are different in that we have unique speeds, strides, and endurance levels that fluctuate with time. It's almost inevitable that we will slow down as we get older and it’s completely inevitable that there will always be someone who can run further or faster than us. 

With that being said, check out what Courtney Poirot wrote after completing the 25k at Dogwood Canyon on November 9. I hope that her story and her words will leave you saying, "I am truly able to see just how blessed I am to be able to participate in this sport."

Dogwood Canyon
11-9-2024

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” - Melissa Sharp (borrowed from Roosevelt) 

Dogwood is the coolest run I’ve ever participated in. This is my second time running it and both times I came to run alone. Running long distance races alone allows you to enjoy the peacefulness of being by yourself and running your own race, while making friends along the way if you so choose. 

Early in the race I was running a similar pace to Melissa (whom I literally had just met) and her husband, as well as another man. While discussing past races we’ve run and where we PR’d, I prefaced with “I’m not fast,” and Melissa quickly reminded me that “comparison is the thief of joy.” I shouldn’t compare myself to anyone else. My PR is a great accomplishment regardless of anyone else’s PR.

 
Through the next 13 miles of the race, I pondered that thought. When I first started running I spent a lot of time stressing about my time. Running doesn’t come natural for me. I have to really work at it. I am slow and I don’t want to be slow. Over the years though, I’ve cared less and less about beating anyone else in a race and started caring more about beating myself… getting that PR.

Throughout the Dogwood run however, I thought about Melissa’s words and thought about how I’m constantly comparing myself now to the runner I used to be. I’m not as strong or as fast as I was a few years ago. However, since running my first Dogwood, I have created, carried, and birthed a 4th baby. I’ve taken on added responsibilities as our other 3 kids are all in school now and involved in more extracurricular activities. I have been navigating new, unsolved health issues. I am NOT the same me that I was a few years ago!

 
Following the race, I texted my coach Misha Marie Knea and told her I didn’t run this Dogwood as fast as last time, but that’s ok, because I did my best and had a blast! Well, come to find out, I actually beat my last Dogwood time by 2 minutes!! I literally had spent the whole run coaching myself on not comparing the current me to the old me, and as it turns out, I actually ran faster this time! I truly believe God has a sense of humor. 

If you love a CHALLENGE and you love ADVENTURE, this is the run for you!!! I am so grateful for the opportunity to run Dogwood. It’s an amazing feeling to see just how strong your mind and body are when you put yourself out there. As I age, I am truly able to see just how blessed I am to be able to participate in this sport. God is GOOD!

And there you have it friends, comparison is most definitely the thief of joy because it robs a person of their contentment and gratitude. As Courtney said, we are blessed to be able to participate in this sport no matter how fast or slow we are. Each day we are given is a blessing and each run we are able to enjoy an undeserved gift. Remember that the next time you're tempted to make a comparison and then smile and celebrate the mile you're in! You'll be so glad you did. 

Happy Running!

Be a Wise Builder

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 NIV

In a story aired by KSAT News last week, it was reported that the Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series will leave San Antonio after 2024. The international running series, which has delivered one of the biggest running weekends in San Antonio every December since 2008, announced the departure in an email to this year’s participants… In a comment to KSAT 12, San Antonio Sports President and CEO Jenny Carnes confirmed the event was leaving…  In regards to the departure, Carnes said that the increase in running participation, the expansion of the Greenway Trail system, the growth of local running clubs, and the award of the Running Event convention were all factors in why they are bringing a “new, premier destination marathon” in 2025. “We are grateful to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series, Ironman International and other RnR ownership teams for their partnership through the years and helping to position San Antonio as a great running community and running destination that will be capitalized on for years to come,” Carnes said.

And, you know, when it comes to capitalizing on or gaining an advantage by building on a solid foundation that’s been built by someone else, Paul declared to the church at Corinth “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it.” Paul then told them that “each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that the church he founded was set on the only foundation that can be laid for a church—the person and work of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, since Paul knew others would come after him and build on that foundation, he directed them (that’s us) to build with care by using only worthy materials and always serving in a worthy manner since every person’s work would eventually be tested by fire to reveal its quality. 

So knowing that God is honored in excellence, let us also take heed so that we will serve as wise builders whose work will be deemed of the highest quality on the day our work is tested. To do anything less is to work in vain. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that only what we do for You will last. Help us lay aside our wants for the things of this world so that we would work only for the things we can take with us… people. Help us to build on the foundation Jesus has laid so that we will do our part in making heaven full. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

Delight Yourself in the Lord

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 BSB

“I am so proud of this guy! Sweet Larry completed his first “official” marathon today at the Honoring Our Heroes!!! Completing this 26.2 mile race was so important to him and it was my blessing to see God grant him the desire of his heart  (Psalm 37:4). It was hard (and he will be walking funny for days) but he did it!!!” With tears in my eyes, those were the words I posted Saturday afternoon upon arriving home. Having run alongside my husband the entirety of race, I knew just how difficult this test of endurance was for him. With two bum knees and a litany of other physical ailments that cause daily pain, getting to the finish line before cutoff was by God’s grace and His strength alone. And while stepping up to the start line with the odds stacked against him had many people scratching their heads, Larry’s yearning to complete the race was to honor a young man who passed away unexpectedly last month, and to bring God glory by doing so. As my sweet Larry later told friends when they asked about the race, “I didn’t know how God was going to get me through it, but I just knew that he would.” Do you just love that or what?

And, you know, when it comes receiving the desires of our hearts, the Bible tells us that we must delight ourselves in the Lord. Which means that our hearts and minds must find their complete peace in the Lord and gain their total fulfillment from the Lord, finding no satisfaction with anything less than the type of personal relationship with Him that compels us to seek Jesus with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. You see, when we do this, our desires will naturally align with God’s desires and the outcome of our requests will always be good and godly. 

So seek to know God above all else my friend. Make time with Him a priority until it becomes as necessary as breathing. It’s then that you will fully delight yourself in the Lord and naturally align your will with His. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for being a God who longs to have a relationship with You. Cause our hearts to yearn for You in such a way Lord that we we would be satisfied with nothing less than a close relationship with You. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

Praise Him Through the Pain

"Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." Psalm 106:1 NKJV

In a story titled “Research Says Run/Walk Intervals Can Help Alleviate Back Pain” published Wednesday, it was reported that nearly 620 million people worldwide have chronic low back pain, according to the World Health Organization, and prevalence in the U.S. is high. One estimate notes that up to 28 percent of Americans may struggle with the issue at some point in their lives, and 44 percent of those with chronic back pain report having it for five years or longer. Potentially making back pain worse: Avoidance of exercise. Some people believe that physical activity—especially any kind of intense or high-impact exercise like running—will lead to a higher pain level and mobility limitations. However, new research suggests the opposite may be true… The takeaway from the study is that, for most people with low back pain, running is safe if you start small and build up gradually,“ said lead author Chris Neason, Ph.D.(c), a researcher and exercise physiologist at Monash University in Australia. He told Runner’s World that running helps load spinal discs in a way that other exercise, like cycling or swimming, doesn’t. “Our spinal discs respond well to this loading, and it can strengthen the back muscles and may have an anti-inflammatory effect,” he said. “We also saw in our study that running improved confidence and led to better mental health.”

And, you know, exercise isn't the only thing people avoid when they are in pain or going through a season of suffering. They also avoid praising God. But praising God in our trials is the very thing we should do! You see, as the Bible reminds us, God is good and His mercy endures forever. Even when our circumstances aren't good, God never changes. Which means He will never stop causing all things to work together for our good and He will never stop showing us love, faithfulness, and compassion despite our sins that warrant death. Because God is always good then, we should always "Praise the Lord!" The takeaway from this also is, when we praise through our pain, we are reminded of the goodness of God which leads to better mental health by helping us to see our trials as they are... light and momentary in view of eternity. 

So if you're walking through a valley right now, don't let it keep you from thanking the Lord for his unending goodness and praising Him for his faithful mercy my friend. It will not only bring joy to your heart but will inspire others to praise Him as well. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for your goodness, grace, and mercy that never changes. Lord, when (not if) we go through trials and experience the pain that comes from living in a broken world, help us to praise You with all that we have knowing this life is not all there is and that one day soon You are coming back to get us. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

Love Like Jesus

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.’” John 13:34-35 NKJV

In a heartwarming story published Monday by K8 Arkansas News Monday, it was reported that Robert Montgomery captured the moment his daughter Kaylee stopped to help another runner who went down in the final stretch of a race. Kaylee was running the last race of her high school career when she saw another student on the ground. “As soon as I saw her, I just thought, ‘I can’t leave her.’ I was like, ‘I have to help her,’” she said. Montgomery was trying to finish at her personal best, but that was the last thing on her mind when she helped Julia, a runner whose legs gave out just short of the finish line. “I told my parents afterward, ‘Jesus wouldn’t pass me by if I was falling down and couldn’t get up.’ He would pick me up,’” she said… Montgomery said she’ll remember the race forever but said the moment is not about her. “Not that it was me, that it was able to help her, but me showing the light of Jesus and how he’s helped me,” she said. “To show that through my own actions by helping someone else.”

And, you know, when it comes to showing the light of Jesus to a world in desperate need of seeing it, there’s no greater thing that we could ever do than to love others as Jesus loved us. You see, in a world that values self over selflessness, this remarkable love that causes us to consider the needs of others above our own not only sets us apart as followers of Jesus but inspires the lost to seek the One who inspires this extraordinary and otherworldly love— the same love that Jesus showed us when, while were still sinners, He willingly died on a cross to save us from our sins. 

So when given an opportunity to help someone, don’t pass them by my friend. Even if it means forfeiting your own race. After all, our personal best isn’t measured by the time on a clock but by our wholehearted devotion to Jesus Christ and our love for one another. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that our lives are not our own and that everything we do and say should be for your glory. Help us to always put Your will above our will so that by our actions we can love others as you first loved us. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - The Dirt on DOMS

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about the Dogwood Canyon Trail Runs that took place this last weekend. If you were there, then you know that it was a lot of fun! But you also know (especially if you participated in the Dogwood Challenge and ran both days) that running all those hills would leave you with a very high chance of experiencing DOMS or Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness this week. I don't know about you but, as I'm writing this (on Tuesday afternoon), I'm still experiencing pain in my quads from completing the 50k/15k challenge. With that being said, this is a great time to talk about what DOMS is, what causes it, how long it might last, and whether there's anything that can be done to speed up the healing process. 

So without further ado, check out these answers to your most pressing questions:

What is DOMS?

It’s a term used for the stiffness and discomfort you experience sometime after completing exercise; it’s generally felt between 24 and 72 hours after the offending session.

When we exercise, we create micro-trauma in our muscles. This might sound like something to avoid, but it’s actually a necessary part of training. Also known as myofibril tearing, this micro-level damage triggers your body to go into repair mode using its natural inflammatory response. With adequate recovery, this helps you to become stronger.

DOMS is likely to occur when you introduce something new to your training regime or push beyond your current training limits. This is because you had run further and at a higher intensity on race day than you had in your months of training. And face it, unless you live near extreme terrain like Dogwood, like me you most likely couldn’t train for the Lampe hills to the degree necessary to come out unscathed. 

What causes DOMS?

High-intensity exercise can cause tiny, microscopic tears in your muscle fibers. Your body responds to this damage by increasing inflammation, which may lead to a delayed onset of soreness in the muscles.

Pretty much any high-intensity exercise can cause DOMS, but one kind in particular, known as eccentric exercise, often triggers it. Eccentric exercises cause you to tense a muscle at the same time you lengthen it.

For example, the controlled, downward motion as you straighten your forearm after a biceps curl is an eccentric movement. The way your quads tense up when running downhill is also an eccentric movement. With all those downhills at Dogwood, it's no wonder a lot of runners earned the burn! 

It was once thought that a buildup of exercise-induced lactic acid was to blame for DOMS, but this common misconception has been debunked. Acute muscle soreness is due to lactic acid buildup. DOMS, on the other hand, is not related to lactic acid buildup; it’s due to microscopic tears and muscle damage. So make sure you have your nonsense radar turned on when it comes to products or training methods that say they can reduce DOMS.

How to recognize DOMS

DOMS symptoms typically occur 12 to 24 hours after a workout and the pain tends to peak about one to three days after your workout, and then should ease up after that.

Symptoms of DOMS to watch out for may include:

• pain when stretching muscles, leading them to become contracted and tight
• muscles that feel tender to the touch
• reduced range of motion due to pain and stiffness when moving
• swelling in the affected muscles
• muscle fatigue
• short-term loss of muscle strength

What to do about DOMS

Active recovery: Just stopping might not be the best option. However, expecting to get out of the door and run another fast or steady run while experiencing DOMS is not likely to end well (trust me, I speak from experience.) Consider a gentle walk, an easy (note the words gentle and easy) spin on a bike or a swim as an impact-free way to increase your blood flow.

Rest and recover: If you're very sore, rest. Ultimately, the effects of DOMS are short-lived. Focus on getting good nutrition and sleep. And don't worry: you won't lose fitness if you need to stop training for two or three days.

Ride it out: You will see a great many suggestions for ways to reduce the pain of DOMS, from ice baths to ibuprofen. Most experts will tell you to steer clear of these options unless you've been advised otherwise by a medical professional. An inflammation cycle is important; it's part of how you get stronger, so using aids intended to reduce this might actually have a negative impact on your body.

When to seek medical help

DOMS rarely requires a trip to the doctor. But the American Council on Sports Medicine recommends you see a doctor or nurse practitioner if the pain from DOMS stops you from doing your normal daily activities.

You should also seek medical attention right away if:

• your DOMS lasts longer than 7 days
• your urine becomes abnormally dark
• you have severe swelling in your arms and legs

Very rarely, patients with DOMS can develop severe swelling of the muscles which leads to a condition called compartment syndrome. This is a dangerous condition that requires emergency medical attention. These patients experience such severe pain that they are unable to move their muscles.

The takeaway

If you’re experiencing DOMS like a lot of other Dogwood runners right now, use self-care measures to help lessen the discomfort while your body heals and, most of all, be patient. Take it easy on yourself and you should be back to running in a few days. 

Also, with time, DOMS should start to happen less often as your body gets used to the workouts you put it through. 

*On a side note, no matter what I've done, I have never walked away from the Dogwood Canyon 50k, much less the challenge, without experiencing varying degrees of DOMS and it's never made me say, "I'm never doing that again." Sometimes DOMS is worth it.

So there you have it friends. The 2024 Bass Pro Fitness Series of events has come to an end, as will any DOMS you might be experiencing. But the memories of another Dogwood Canyon weekend will last forever! I don't know about you but I'm already anticipating next year’s race and I hope you are too.  Happy Running!

Study to Show Yourself Approved

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

In a story published by the Daily Mail yesterday, it was reported that a marathon runner in China missed out on first place after he was accidentally sent in the wrong direction by race volunteers. The incident took place during the 2024 Hangzhou Marathon held on the morning of November 3. In the footage, Ethiopian runner Tesfaye Deriba Ketema can be seen in the lead with his Kenyan rival Moses Kibet trailing close behind. However, as they approach the finish line, both runners appear to misinterpret the race staff's hand signals and they take a wrong turn. Both men hastily realise their mistake and sprint to the finish line. Unfortunately for Mr Ketema, however, the mistake meant that his trailing rival Mr Kibet was able to assume the lead in the race - without even overtaking him. This is due to the fact they were forced to double-back to follow the correct route, putting Mr Kibet into the lead. Mr Ketema was unable to reclaim his leading position, and Mr Kibet crossed the finish line in first place - claiming top prize with a time of 2:07:47. Mr Ketema was just six seconds behind but his mistake was a costly one as it meant he missed out on the £41,800 cash prize for first place.

And, you know, while it’s one thing to accidentally misinterpret someone’s hand signals, it’s a whole nother thing to purposely misinterpret the Bible. Which is the very thing people do when they fail to thoroughly “study” the Word as they should and choose to “cherry-pick” individual verses or passages so as to take them out of context instead. You see, there is a right way and a wrong way to divide “the word of truth.” And the right way takes the WHOLE Bible into account as though it is one large story, because it is! Scripture ALWAYS supports scripture. You will NEVER read something in God’s Word that contradicts itself. This correct handling of the word is crucial then because it keeps people from translating scripture in a way that supports an ungodly narrative or gives approval for actions, thoughts, and lifestyles that the Bible clearly condemns.

So in the words of Paul, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God” and not unto man my friend. Make it a priority to devote your time and attention to knowing what the word says, and knowing what the word means so that you will be known as “a workmen that needeth not to be ashamed” and as a person who correctly explains “the word of truth.”  In this way you won’t be responsible for sending someone in the wrong direction. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that the Bible must be studied and analyzed as a whole so it can be taken into context and explained correctly. Help us to refute errors in the way the world translates the Bible by picking single verses and using them to fit their narrative, thereby wrongly dividing it Lord. And please cause us to be bold in pointing out the truth in love, knowing that by doing so we are keeping people from going in the wrong direction and missing out on eternal life. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus amen.

Happy Running!