With God we can Defy the Odds

"Samson glanced around and spotted the jawbone of a donkey. The jawbone had not yet dried out, so it was still hard and heavy. Samson grabbed it and started hitting Philistines--he killed 1,000 of them!" Judges 15:15 CEV

In an astonishing story published by Runner’s World on Sunday it was reported that Cooper Lutkenhaus ‘defied the odds’ on Sunday at the USATF Outdoor Championships, earning a ticket to the World Championships after a second-place finish in the men’s 800-meter final at Hayward Field. As a 16-year-old. As a rising high school junior. What’s crazier may have been the time: 1:42.27. It was the fourth-best men’s performance in U.S. history—by anyone. It’s currently the fifth-fastest effort in the world. Lutkenhaus’ effort, which dipped under the world standard of 1:44.50—a qualifying mark he needed if he were to finish inside the top three places—was also a new world under-18 best. It surpassed the former record of 1:44.08 which had stood since 2011 by Kenya’s Leonard Kirwa Kosencha. “Just making the team, running that fast this young, it’s special,” he told reporters afterward. 

And when it comes to defying the odds, the Bible is full of stories of men and women of all ages who, by God's mighty power, did things that seemed totally impossible too. Consider the story of Samson who single-handedly killed 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. I mean what are the odds of that? And what are the odds of glancing around and spotting the jawbone of a donkey in the middle of nowhere anyway? One that had not yet dried out and was still hard and heavy? The odds were slim-to-none of course. But God has been defying the odds since the beginning of time, constantly making a way where there seems to be no way. 

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

So if you're in a situation, or facing a problem today that seems impossible to get out of, consider the words of Mark Batterson, "Impossible odds set the stage for amazing miracles." And remember that God, who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us is still in the business of performing miracles... especially in the face of insurmountable odds. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the many examples in the Bible of people who, by your strength, overcame impossible odds to find victory. Help us to believe that You - the God who was the same yesterday, today and forever - are still performing miracles and equipping believers to defy even the slimmest of odds today. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Be Known as a Faithful Steward

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 NIV

Over the weekend, News Center Maine posted a story titled “Record-setting triumph: Runner breaks TD Beach to Beacon 10K course record” in which they reported that “Thousands of participants and spectators made their way to Cape Elizabeth on Saturday for the TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race, bringing runners from all over the world together.” They went on to say that “Over 8,000 people ran the race, professional and amateur runners alike.” But, get this. This race that benefits Best Buddies Maine, an organization that works to reduce barriers for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through friendship and leadership opportunities, could never have taken place without the more than 800 volunteers that showed up, with some making their way back to Cape Elizabeth every year.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:1-8 NIV

And while all volunteers are to be commended and considered special for what they do, what makes Christian volunteers extra special is that they do what they do because they recognize they have a “gift” for serving others and put that gift into practice—knowing that “as faithful stewards of God’s grace,” they are called to use whatever gift they have received from God in service to God, as all believers are. And you can be sure that we all have “different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” Some of us are called to prophesy, some of us are called to serve (providing practical help in various ways such as volunteering), some of us are called to teach, some of us are called to give, some of us are called to lead, and some of us are called to show mercy. And that’s just one of three lists of gifts!

So, determine what your gifts are and then use them to serve God by serving others my friend. You’ll not only be counted as a faithful steward of God’s grace by doing so, but will serve as an example to others of what it means to recognize that everything we have – our time, talents, and treasure – ultimately belongs to God and is entrusted to us to use for God. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that everything we have and everything we are comes from You to be used in service to You by our service to others. Help us Lord to determine what our unique gifts are that we might grow them and use them to the greatest extent for your glory. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

God Knows Our Coordinates

“Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.” Psalm 38:22 NIV

In a story titled “Airborne rescue by Sac Metro Fire saves injured runner on Placer County trail” posted Wednesday, it was reported that Sacramento Metro Fire crews performed a helicopter rescue of an endurance runner who broke his leg on Razorback Ridge Trail, south of Soda Springs in Placer County on Sunday. The runner tripped and fractured his femur, and a friend called 911, providing first responders with their coordinates, according to Metro Fire. "Ground crews were starting their way in simultaneously with us being launched. And lucky for us, they were able to get there first and start rendering some patient aid," Captain James Doyle said… Doug Russell, the pilot of Metro Fire's Copter 3, said, "You can give a description to us based on a general area, and it's going to extend our search time. But if you can give coordinates, we will fly directly to you." Is that awesome or what? Because the crew knew exactly where to find the runner, the rescue was quick and complete. 

“indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121:4

Which makes me ever so thankful to serve a God who never sleeps nor slumbers, always knows where we are, and is always ready to come to our rescue. Think about it… when David cried out “Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior,” you can be sure God not only heard his plea but He knew his plight and his position as well. There was no need for David to give his coordinates or relay his situation to the Lord! God knew exactly where he was and rescued him, once again, quickly and completely. And you can be sure this same God is still in the business of rescuing today. Talk about the ultimate 911!

1 

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 

even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:1-10

So, if you’re wondering whether God knows or even cares about what you’re going through at this very moment, take heart my friend. As David came to know, God knows when we sit and when we rise, and He is familiar with all our ways. That means there’s nowhere we can go that his Spirit will not be with us and no situation we could ever find ourselves in that can drown out our cry for help. Is that awesome or what? 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that You know where we are at all times, what we are going through, and even what we are thinking. Thank You for being a God who so intimately cares for his children that You would incline your ear to hear our cries and come to our rescue when we have tripped up. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

Train your Mind to be Stayed on God

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8 NLT

In an inspiring story shared by the Steamboat Pilot yesterday, it was reported that 32-year-old Brett McOuat completed the 100 km Never Summer race on Saturday, the sixth trail run of his career in just under 16 hours, a time that placed him 17th finisher overall. The race is run across a variety of terrain, from jeep and logging roads to Alpine trails and more — with over 14,500 feet of vertical gain. According to McOuat, the race is one of the hardest 100-kilometer races in the state of Colorado. He witnessed a number of runners struggle on the course, dropping out while competing on one of the hottest days in the race’s history. The race was so hard, in fact, that only 187 runners out of 282 finished. Despite the race being physically grueling though, Brett told reporters that the challenge (and the training leading up to it) was more mental than physical. He went on to say that, while he has to maintain a solid baseline of running fitness, blocking out the negative thoughts is key to a successful race. 

And while I would agree that blocking out negative thoughts is crucial, it’s only one key to a successful race and a successful life. The other is fixing “your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.” You see, it’s not enough to just remove gloomy and cynical considerations that go through our mind. Negative thoughts must be replaced immediately, continually (renewing of the mind) and completely (taking every thought captive)—something that’s done by training our minds to “think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” In other words, we must train our minds to focus on God, who is always good, if we want to make it to the finish line. 

So, knowing that a good majority of the runners who don’t finish a race blame it on their thinking, as negative thoughts lead to negative performance, be sure to put the same effort into training your mind as you do your body my friend. Make it a daily habit to read the Bible and commit it to memory so you can fix your thoughts on “what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable” at all times. This is the key to overall success.

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us of the importance of keeping our minds stayed on You at all times. Help us to truly grasp the power of our thoughts that we might read the Word daily and commit it to memory. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION-Embrace the Process of Becoming Resilient

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about this heat. I know, I know... I sound like a broken record by now. But there’s no denying that it's been hot and the training has been hard--especially for those who started their official training for the Bass Pro Marathon/Half or for the Dogwood Canyon trail runs recently. But, this is the deal. The summer heat will soon be replaced by cooler fall (aka best running season of the year) temps, which will then give way to wind chills and running on ice and lots of snow. Which is the very reason why this is the perfect time to talk about resilience and the importance of embracing the process of cultivating and practicing it so you can continue running no matter what life throws at you. 

And while resilience is most commonly defined as the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties, it can also be defined (as per the American Psychological Association) as the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.

Resilience was something that came to mind yesterday morning after a video popped up on my social media feed (thanks to Lacey Maness, one of our Bass Pro Marathon pacers) showing Pierre Borgella participating in the 2025 Marathon des Sables, an ultramarathon known for being incredibly difficult for even the hardiest of runners. But get this... Pierre is perhaps one of the hardiest runners you’ll ever come across, but he is no ordinary runner. You see, at the age of 18, Pierre's life changed in an instant after a serious scooter accident. Per the officials at the event on race day, "He lost a leg... but never his determination, nor his dreams. Today, he's out there, pushing his limits in the MDS Cappadocia..." They went on to describe his effort as "Unstoppable. Unbreakable. Unforgettable."

Wow right? It makes all our excuses for not getting out there in the heat seem lame doesn’t it? I mean not only did Borgella complete a grueling race with only one leg while using prosthetics, but he did so in the heat of the desert. What sets Pierre apart is his resilience! But you can be sure he didn’t get it overnight. It was a process. That being said, let’s check out some ways that we might gain a mindset like Pierre’s that finds ways around the hurdles of life and refuses to give up regardless of the circumstances. 

First and foremost…

RUN EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO... AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO.

Run when it's raining. Run when it's cold. Run when it's hot. Run when it's humid. Run when you're hungry. Run early in the morning. Run late at night. Run when it's dark. Run trails. Run roads. Run hills. Run when you feel slow. Run when you feel tired. Run when you're in a good mood. Run when you're in a bad mood. Run short. Run long. Run when you feel like crying. Run in every condition so you'll be ready for every condition. Don't wait for the perfect time to run, just run! And always remember... each time you conquer one of these elements, you will not only be more physically resilient but more mentally resilient. And every runner knows, the battle to the finish line is won in the mind. What the mind thinks, the body follows. Which means you must push your limits and push them often if you want to become resilient. 

Secondly….

BE CONSISTENT...
in your running and in your thinking. Being consistent means being unchanging over time and thinking like champions think. Which means constantly and continuously training yourself to be the best you can be by always making your thoughts positive (or at the very least finding one thing positive in every situation) and running regularly. Des Linden said it well after winning the 2018 Boston Marathon despite the torrential downpour and wind that showed up on race day , "There’s value in behaving like a champion every single day for years--in making it a habit. Running rewards consistency and resilience. So does life.” Thinking like a champion, then, means making the determination that you will NEVER give up on achieving any goal, big or small EVER. Because let's face it... you are your biggest rival and you must think like a champion to overcome and surpass that rival.

And lastly….

EMBRACE DIFFICULTIES AND DISTRESS.
I didn't say you had to like the disruptions or hardships that you will experience in running and in life, only that you should look at them for what they are... opportunities to get better, stronger and more flexible. These are opportunities to learn and grow as you find ways to adapt to changing conditions. Think about it. Like I said before, every time you make the intentional decision to work through a problem or prevail over a trial, you win a small battle. And each small battle you win makes you equipped to fight a bigger battle, and then a bigger one and then a bigger one. Overcoming battles teaches you to suffer well while keeping a smile on your face and joy in your heart! This joy may not move the mountain in your way, but it will help you to be happy and sing as you're climbing to the top of it.

So there you have it friends. Resiliency is a skill that's cultivated and grown over time--and a skill that will benefit you both on and off the racecourse. On a final note, I hope you'll consider the mighty oak tree. Heavy rains cause the mighty oak tree to send its moisture-seeking roots deep into the ground to follow the water (making it capable of withstanding drought), and heavy winds cause the tree to become thicker and stronger. Get where I'm going with this? Becoming stronger, more resilient, and deeply rooted is a process that takes time. So hang in there knowing that all the training in good conditions and in bad ones will pay off come race day. Happy Running!

The Route to Life will Never Change

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 NKJV

In a story titled “Historic route change marks 53rd Wharf to Wharf race as 16,000 runners navigate altered course” published over the weekend, it was reported that The 53rd annual Wharf to Wharf race went off without a hitch, bringing 16,000 runners and throngs of onlookers to the streets of Santa Cruz County, despite a last minute change to the course that moved the starting line from the Boardwalk to Portola Drive in Pleasure Point. Crowds descended on the village of Capitola to celebrate what has been described as the “best little road race in California.” The course may have changed but the small town vibes did not. Participants and organizers were very aware of the change but said it was not a problem. “Even though the course was different, people still showed up,” said Jamie Cline, a runner and employee at Brewtopia, who started her shift after finishing the race. “There were a lot of bands and good energy. It was a really great community thing.”

And, you know, as a longtime Race Director, I can attest to the need to make course changes. Several years ago, there was major flooding in my “neck of the woods” that happened less than 24 hours prior to start of the annual half marathon we put on for charity. The rains were so heavy, in fact, that the low water bridge at mile two of the 13.1 mile route was completely washed out. As you can imagine, I was thankful that we were able to quickly find an alternate course that worked well and the race went on.  

That experience made me even more thankful, though, that the way to heaven will never change. Jesus was crystal clear about that when he said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Notice that “I am” part? Just as Jesus has always existed, Jesus has never changed nor Has the Word. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Which means, Jesus was the way, is the way, and will always be the way to life everlasting. And ONLY those who choose follow Him (those who choose to enter by the narrow gate) and stay on course until the very end will reap the greatest reward that could ever be received… eternal life with Jesus Christ. 

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV

So don’t be misled my friend. There is only ONE way to heaven and “there are few who find it.” Choose to be one of the few to follow the route that never changes and you will be rewarded in ways beyond comprehension. It will be difficult, that is certain, but it will be worth it in the end when you hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Heavenly Father, thank You for making the route to heaven crystal clear and for making it just as clear that ONLY those who follow You will inherit eternal life. Help us to demolish the lies of the enemy that say otherwise and lead the lost to follow the broad way that leads to destruction. Give us a passion for sharing the Truth Lord that we might do our part in making heaven full. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

Address Your Nutritional Needs

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” Acts 1:8 NKJV

In a mindblowing story titled “New Mexico State runner crushes ultramarathon course” published last week, the Albuquerque Journal reported that local runner Thomas Croshaw (20), who currently competes in track and field for New Mexico State University, won the Life Time Silver Rush 50 mile race in Leadville Colorado on July 12. Known as one of the country’s most grueling races, Thomas ran it in an astonishing 6 hours, 36 minutes, and 40 seconds, the second fastest recorded time on the course. Amazingly enough, Croshaw was smiling when he crossed the finish line and later said “I really didn’t feel all that tired. My legs, of course, felt like they ran a long way, but since I fueled well and was getting calories to continue burning, my legs never ran out of gas.” One of the most overlooked aspects of ultrarunning, Croshaw said, is nutrition.“You have to get a lot of fuel in,” he said. “Training the stomach to be able to handle that was another big part.” 

As both a longtime ultrarunner and running coach, I wholeheartedly agree with Croshaw that one of the most overlooked aspects of ultrarunning (or running in general) is indeed nutrition. This was a lesson I was thankful to have learned early on when I inquired of an older ultra runner before the start of training for my first 100 mile race. “What’s the best advice you can give me?” I asked. To which she replied, “Address your nutritional needs before they address you.” And while this advice has served me well on the racecourse, it’s also advice I’ve applied in my spiritual life and I hope you will too. 

You see, if you and I want to run with endurance the race set before us, we not only have to strip off any excess weight we are carrying, but have to continually keep our eyes on the Lord to keep us energized, motivated, orientated, and regulated. Think about it this way… when you and I are serving Christ as we are called to, we have to keep our hearts and minds gassed up. Which means, we have to keep our souls filled with the Holy Spirit by continually feasting on the Word of God. This is the way we both “receive power” and stay connected to that power—allowing us to be properly fueled to go wherever it is God calls us to serve and “be witnesses” to Jesus. 

So, if you find yourself spiritually weary, hungry, and fatigued today, open up your Bible my friend. Then train yourself to address your nutritional needs before they address you by studying the Word and then meditating (the equivalent of taking small bites) on what you’ve read throughout the day… every day. This practice will ensure that you’re fueling properly and will never run out of gas.  

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to guide our steps and stregthen our hearts for the race You have set before us. Help us to clearly understand Lord that taking in spiritual food must be a practice of every believer since proper nutrition is crucial to us completing the mission of witnessing to the ends of the earth. Give us the discipline and passion to seek You every day.  It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!