BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Choose Something Challenging

Hello Runner Friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let’s get started by talking about what’s coming up… fall!!! This not only means that cooler temps are in store (yay! Right?), but it also means  that the Bass Pro Marathon, half marathon, and 5k are quickly approaching. As are the Dogwood Canyon Trail Runs. I don’t know about you but that makes me super happy!!

Speaking of runs, if you ran the Run the Rock race at Top of the Rock over the weekend, you probably don't need me to tell you that the heat and the hills were no joke.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to run the race so I asked my longtime friend, Jeannette Luttrell, (who has completed many of the BPFS events, including the Bass Pro Marathon) what she thought about it. And she loved it of course. Although she described it as a race with hills that were no joke!

But her race day story has a backstory worth sharing….

Jeannette began the year with a goal of completing another 10K. She had covered the distance years ago when she was running more consistently, but she wanted a goal that would motivate her to get moving again, become more consistent, and see what her body could still accomplish.

Then she chose Run the Rock.

She certainly could have picked an easier 6.2 mile race. Instead, she intentionally picked something that would challenge her.

Her training included hot summer runs on hilly gravel roads, sometimes with heat indexes around 100 degrees (this summer was brutal!). There were days she was tired. There were days she didn't want to run alone. There were plenty of runs that didn't feel easy.

But she kept showing up.

When race day arrived, Jeannette knew the hills would slow her down. She wasn't worried about running a certain pace or setting a PR. Her goal was to finish within the allotted time.

She surprised herself.

Jeannette finished the Run the Rock 10k course in about 1 hour and 9 minutes, and she estimates that she ran more than 56 minutes of it.

That's what training for challenging things can do. 

After all these years of running and coaching runners, I still believe one of the best ways to discover what you're capable of is to occasionally choose something that makes you a little nervous.

That's exactly what Jeannette did.

She didn't choose Run the Rock because she thought it would be easy. She chose it because she knew it would challenge her.

And then she trained for it. She showed up. She climbed the hills. She crossed the finish line. And she did better than she expected. And now she’s got her sights on the 15k at Dogwood Canyon!

So as you continue your training for the Bass Pro Fitness Series of events, don't automatically avoid challenging routes or races along the way. Look for them instead and use them to grow your miles, your mindset and your motivation. After all, every finish line that you cross gives you a renewed desire to cross another one and another one and another one. 

 Happy Running!

Don’t Ignore the Warnings

“and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;” 2 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

In a crazy story titled “Runners Crossed Waist-Deep Water At The Racefaster Half Marathon” published yesterday, it was reported that runners at Sunday’s Racefaster Half Marathon in New Jersey came through the bridges along the Saddle River holding the railings, in water several described as waist-deep, and plenty have spent the time since asking why it started at all.

At 8:53 a.m., an hour and seven minutes before the gun (because of the rain, the 8:00 am original start time was pushed back to 10:00 am) was set to go off, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning in the area. It put 2 to 3 inches of rain already on the ground, described the hazard as life threatening flash flooding, and ran until 11:30. Three more followed: one for the Saddle River itself, three minutes before the start, and two more while the field was still out on the course.

But, yet, the race went on.

One of the runners, Garrett Nathan, who had only signed up on Thursday and was chasing a half-marathon personal best, told NBC New York the move of the starting time seemed sensible at the time. “I’m like, I guess it’s gonna rain… it sounds like a good, logical decision. I keep checking my email from the race directors and get no notifications about a canceling...”

Nathan said this race was like nothing he’d ever seen before, as he counted five or six crossings out and back where the water was waist deep, and even chest deep at times, requiring the runners to hold onto the railings.

Racefaster has still not said publicly why the race went ahead, and did not answer NBC New York‘s request for comment. Daily Voice said it had approached them too.

And, you know, as this story shows, ignoring warnings of impending flooding can quickly lead to perilous conditions, even death. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the running (and wading) of the race, although the flood waters continued to rise after the last finishers were through, peaking at 6.8 feet, more than a foot over flood stage and well past the 5.7 feet forecast that morning.

While that story showed how quickly flooding can become dangerous, there’s probably no greater story of what can happen when a person ignores flood warnings than the story of Noah's building of the ark and the judgement that followed. 

"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5

"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God." Genesis 6:8-9

The Biblical record of the story provides only a glimpse of Noah's activities in the days leading up to the flood, and most of the narrative in Genesis 6 is focused on his work in building the ark. 

Nevertheless, we can make a reasonable assumption that Noah preached about the coming flood to his neighbors and community during the 100 years it took to complete the ark because Noah is referred to as “a preacher of righteousness” and called "a just man" who "walked with God."

And considering that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth” in Noah's day, you can be sure that there would be no lack of opportunity for him to call out the things God considered evil. But the warnings, we know, fell on deaf ears.

“For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:39

You see, the fact that the world was caught off guard by the flood tells us that the world paid no attention to the warnings Noah issued, and therefore, suffered the consequences of being swept away by the fast rising waters due to their lack of repentance.

And by the state of our world today, we can see that the world is still paying no attention to the warnings (Matthew 24) laid out in the Bible and spoken of by the prophets—something that will have eternal consequences equally as bad as those experienced by the ungodly in Noah's day.

Which is the very reason that you and I must live as if “the coming of the Son of Man” could happen as quickly as the flood waters came in Noah’s day. This is something we do by refusing to blend in with the culture around us and pursuing righteous living in the same way Noah did. You can be sure this won't be easy but it will certainly be worth it.

So, in a world that's growing increasingly more wicked by the day, choose to heed the warnings laid out in the Bible my friend and to look for opportunities to warn others of what's to come. Choose to walk with God so you will be ready when Jesus returns.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the Bible that guides us into righteousness so that we can live a life pleasing to You. Lord, help us to heed the warnings found in the Word that lay out the consequences for living a life of sin and the blessings for walking in the light with You. Help us to understand the times we are living in that we might choose to become ready and stay ready for the return of Jesus. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!

The Maker of the Mountains is our Constant Help

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

In a story titled “Morocco’s El Houcine El Azzaoui Breaks World Record in Mountain Running” published Saturday, it was reported that Moroccan runner El Houcine El Azzaoui has set a new world record in the 53-kilometer mountain running race, marking another major achievement for Moroccan athletics.

El Azzaoui achieved the feat during the 2026 World Mountain Running Series, according to Medi1News.

The Moroccan athlete delivered a standout performance in the demanding race to break the previous world record over the distance.

The achievement further strengthens El Azzaoui’s position on the international mountain running scene. It also adds to Morocco’s growing presence in endurance and mountain running competitions.

Mountain running requires a combination of endurance, speed, strength, and the ability to handle challenging terrain. The 53-kilometer distance presents an additional physical challenge for athletes competing at the highest level.

And, you know, while mountain running is not for the faint of heart, it's comforting to know that the Maker of the mountains we cannot climb sees and knows the demands and challenges each one of us is facing—demands and challenges that are insurmountable to get over or around on our own. 

This is the reason the psalmist looked up toward the high hills surrounding Jerusalem and asked "Where does my help come from?" And then, by faith, answered his own question by saying, "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Now we don't know what the psalmist was experiencing, but we do know that he was a real person, just like you and me, with real problems, real worries, and real concerns. 

And we also know that this psalm was part of the Songs of Ascents that were sung by ancient travelers journeying upward through dangerous mountain passes toward the Holy City, travelers that shared the same problems we have as believers today. 

But, by acknowledging God as the Maker of everything, the psalm reminds us that the power of the One who created the universe is personal, attentive, and fully able to sustain us through any trial.

Which means there’s no challenge or obstacle that can’t be overcome when we enlist the help of the Maker of Heaven and earth. 

So, the next time you look at a hill or a mountain, take a moment to consider the One who made it my friend. And let it remind you that the same God who helped the psalmist back then is the same God—because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever—that can help you today, if you will simply lift up your eyes and seek Him. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the psalms to encourage us and teach us how to worship You. Help us to remember that You are an ever-present help in times of trouble and that there's no mountain too high that you can’t reach us and no hill too difficult that You can’t help us climb over it. Thank You for being a God who truly loves us and wants to guide us along our journey Lord. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

You Can Know for Certain

“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:13 NKJV

In a sad update to the story of trail runner Kalie McCrystal’s disappearance a few days ago, it was reported that Kalie was never found and the search for her was called off. The writer went on to say:

From corporate lawyer to world-class skyrunner, Kalie McCrystal moved through extreme terrain with precision and joy. Friends and fellow mountaineers detail the high-stakes search on the Matterhorn.

Elite trail runner Kalie McCrystal reached the Matterhorn summit, at an elevation of 14,682 feet, on September 1. McCrystal, 38, had finished the route many times before and was scouting it ahead of an attempt to become the fastest woman to run it, her friend and fellow trail runner, Hillary Gerardi, told Outside.

Witnesses say she was moving smoothly. Then on her descent, she vanished without a trace.

After a week of scouring the Alps, Italian authorities called off the search for the Canadian runner on September 8. But her disappearance has left those close to her bewildered. McCrystal was an accomplished, skilled mountaineer running in broad daylight on a clearly marked trail.

Where did she go?

And, you know, while Kalie’s family and friends might never know where her physical body went, if Kaylie was a believer in Jesus Christ, they can know for certain where her spiritual body went …straight to heaven. And while this this might not take away all of the pain they might be feeling, you can be sure it will give them the hope. 

You see, the Apostle John explicitly stated that his purpose for penning his letter (1 John) to the churches was so that believers would not have to live in doubt about their eternity. Is that awesome or what? 

By saying, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God,” he filled them with hope! Not only because it removed the uncertainty of where their fellow brothers and sisters had gone after their death, but assured them that it was by God’s grace that they, themselves, were saved and not by works. Which meant they knew they were heaven bound!

But get this… the verse uses the word "know" (eīdēte in Greek), which implies absolute certainty and confidence, rather than a mere hope or wish and points to Jesus Christ as the sole source of eternal life. Furthermore, in the original language, "have eternal life" is in the present tense which signifies that eternal life is a current reality for the believer, not just something that begins after physical death.

“and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:15 NKJV

So, if you want this confidence for yourself, “Repent, and believe in the gospel” if you haven’t already done so my friend. This decision will ensure that, upon your passing, no one has to wonder where you went, they will know that you are in heaven. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for providing only One way to heaven that we might not be confused that repenting and believing in the gospel is the only way to salvation. Lord, help us to understand that life is uncertain and to not choose You while we have breath in our lungs is to choose eternal damnation—because there are only two choices and two destinations after death, heaven or hell. Help us to be bold in sharing this message with the world. It’s in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

*As we take the time to honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, let the memory of what happened remind us that life is uncertain. 2,977 Americans lost their lives that day and not one of them knew it would be their last day alive. 

*But what we know is this…. All those who had placed their trust in Jesus Christ went immediately into His presence where they will live for the rest of eternity. As will you by making the same choice. 

Spending Time with Jesus Makes us Extraordinary

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13 KNJV

In an amazing story of human achievement published by Canadian Running yesterday, it was reported that U.S. ultrarunner Megan Eckert made history at the EMU-GOMU 6-Day World Championships in Balatonfüred, Hungary. Eckert ran 636.482 miles (1,024.319 km) over 144 hours to better her own six-day world mark and set some other new records along the way (all pending ratification).

American Megan Eckert has reached the 1000 km mark shortly before 8 AM this morning and is the first woman ever to do so,” Multi-day running legend Trishul Cherns told Canadian Running. “Men dream of it, and only a handful have ever reached it.”

Eckert, 40, ran around a flat, paved 898.2-metre loop for six straight days. (Runners switch directions every few hours to avoid injuries.) Her new total is 33.327 miles (53.634 km) farther than the women’s record she set last year.

Eckert also surpassed the longstanding overall U.S. six-day best of 606.243 miles (975.653 km), set by Joe Fejes in 2015 at the same event, although on a different course. Her new time betters Fejes’s record by just over 30 miles (48.28 km)…

But get this. While you might think Megan is some super human, the writer described her as “a middle-school special education and math teacher in Santa Fe, N.M., who coaches high-school track and cross-country.” Which means, at the end of the day, Megan is an ordinary person with extraordinary talent—talent that we know comes from the God who created her. 

"Then He said to them, '"Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" Matthew 4:19 NKJV

And, you know, the Bible is full of ordinary people who were made extraordinary by God. Consider Peter and John. They were mere fishermen when Jesus said to them "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." But their transformation was so remarkable and uncommon that, roughly four years after their first encounter with Christ, they were described as bold!

Why? Because these men "had been with Jesus." 

Here's the scene... Peter and John are standing boldly before powerful religious leaders (Acts 4) after healing a lame beggar and preaching to the crowd about Jesus and the resurrection of the dead. These leaders recognize that the men standing before them aren't formally trained scholars. They are ordinary men. Yet there is something undeniably different about them.

Scripture tells us: “They marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

There it is. Peter and John "were uneducated and untrained men." Yet they astonished the experts. The thing that made these ordinary men extraordinary wasn't their education. It wasn't their social status. It wasn't their wealth. It wasn't their occupation. It was the fact that they had been with Jesus—a fact no one could deny. 

Peter was still Peter. John was still John. But spending time with Jesus had transformed what these ordinary men were capable of doing. And God would use them to help carry the Gospel farther than they could possibly have imagined when they were standing beside their fishing nets.

So, don’t settle for being ordinary my friend. Life’s too short for that! Spend time with Jesus (through Bible study, prayer, meditation, and worship) so that you can be such a bold follower of Jesus that people marvel at your transformation and seek Him because of it. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for making it clear that You don’t call the qualified but qualify the called, and that You can and will use ordinary people to do extraordinary things if they will only follow You. Lord, help us to be obedient to the calling to be fishers of men that we might carry the Gospel farther than we could ever possibly imagine. It’s in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Embrace Those Bad Training Runs

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 brutal running conditions we've had in the Midwest the last few weeks. If you're like me, you're probably over the intense heat already, or at least over running in the heat (and let's not get started by talking about the humidity). This was something I was thinking about on Monday as I ran a solo marathon in training for an upcoming race. 

The morning temps were amazing and I was running well. But then it got steamy very quickly and I told my husband, who was my support team, that this run was going to last a lot longer than I had anticipated and it was not going to be pretty. 

And indeed it wasn't. It was so ugly, in fact, that when a coworker asked how my Labor Day marathon went the next day that I laughed and said, "Oh man. It sucked. Bad. I mean really, really bad." But then I added, "In that respect, it was a good training run because it will help me be ready to keep going if my mind and body go south on race day." 

What did I mean by that? Well... As a longtime long-distance runner and running coach, I have learned that one of the biggest mistakes runners can make is only training when the conditions are comfortable. Sure, we all love those perfect running days—when the temperature is cool, the clouds are just right, the wind is calm, and our legs seem to cooperate. Those runs are wonderful, but they aren't always the runs that prepare us best for race day… when our minds and our bodies can go south. 

In that respect, it’s easy to see that when you’re training for the Bass Pro Fitness Series, you aren't just training your legs to cover the distance. You’re training yourself to be ready for whatever race day decides to give you. The truth is, we don't get to order our race-day weather. It might be cold. It might be hot. It might be windy. It might be raining from the starting line to the finish line. I’ve seen it all throughout my years! Missouri weather certainly doesn't make any promises. That is exactly why I encourage runners to safely train in a variety of conditions. 

Think about it…If you always skip your run when it's raining, what happens when it's raining on race morning? If you avoid every windy day, what happens when you're fighting a headwind during the final miles of your half marathon? Training isn't just about building mileage. It is about building experience.

2024's Bass Pro Marathon and Half Marathon was  a perfect example of that. Many runners considered the rainy conditions "bad" race weather. But for the runners who had trained in the rain, it wasn't completely unfamiliar territory. They already knew what wet shoes felt like. They knew how their clothing performed when soaked. They knew where chafing might become a problem. They knew how to adjust their pace, watch their footing, protect their gear, and mentally settle into running mile after mile in the rain. What seemed like a "bad" race day became something they had already practiced for. Quite honestly, this will go down as my absolute favorite (out of 15 or so BP finishes) Bass Pro Marathon finish ever, as you can tell by the smiles above!

That is why I tell runners that a "bad" training run isn't always a bad training run when you consider what it produces.

Sometimes the run you wish you could forget is actually one of the most valuable runs of your training cycle. Maybe it starts raining halfway through. Maybe the wind is relentless. Maybe it’s colder than you expected. Maybe your shoes are soaked, your pace is slower than you wanted, and nothing about the run feels easy. You may get home, look at your watch, and think, "That was terrible." But was it?

What if race day looks exactly like that?

Suddenly, that miserable training run becomes experience. You can stand at the Bass Pro starting line, look at the rain coming down, and think, "I've done this before." That confidence is something you can’t get from a training plan on paper. You earn it by showing up.

Training in different conditions also gives you an opportunity to test your gear. Rainy runs teach you which socks are least likely to blister, which clothing becomes heavy when wet, and where you need anti-chafing products. Cold runs teach you how many layers you actually need instead of how many you think you need. Hot and humid runs teach you the importance of slowing down, hydration, electrolytes, and adjusting expectations. Windy days teach patience and effort-based running. Every condition has something to teach us.

There is also a tremendous mental benefit. 

Distance running is rarely about everything going perfectly. Whether you're training for the Bass Pro 5K, Cohick Half Marathon, Bass Pro Marathon, or one of the Dogwood Canyon trail events, there will eventually be a moment when things get uncomfortable. Learning during training that you can keep moving forward when conditions aren't ideal develops the mental toughness that distance running requires.

Of course, training for different conditions does not mean ignoring safety. Severe thunderstorms, lightning, dangerous heat, ice, flooding, or other hazardous conditions are not opportunities to "toughen up." Smart runners know the difference between uncomfortable and unsafe. The goal is preparation, not unnecessary risk.

As your Bass Pro Fitness Series training continues, don't automatically be disappointed when the forecast isn't perfect. That rainy Saturday long run might be exactly the training you need. That windy run may teach you patience. That humid morning may remind you to respect effort instead of obsessing over pace. That cold run may help you finally figure out what to wear on race morning.

Some of my most valuable training runs over the years have been the ones that didn't go according to plan. They taught me how to adapt, how to problem-solve, and most importantly, how to keep going.

Remember: you aren't training for perfect conditions. You are training to be prepared for every condition.

You can't control what the weather will be when you step up to the starting line. You can't control every problem that might happen over 13.1 or 26.2 miles. But you can control how well you prepare.

So the next time you’re tempted to say, "This is going to be a bad training run," consider changing the way you look at it. It might just be the run that prepares you for a "bad" race day—and helps you discover that you are much more ready than you thought.

And there you have it friends. Just because a run might seem like a "bad" one at the time, don't get discouraged. Every run is good one when you remember that every run is a gift. So, keep training and embrace all the "bad" training runs that may stand between you and the starting line. They are the very thing that will help you make it to the finish line. Happy Running!

Do Everything to the Glory of God

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV

As I set out at dawn to complete my annual solo Labor Day Marathon (with the help of my sweet husband) yesterday, I couldn’t help but laugh as I considered that the majority of the world’s population would not consider running 26.2 miles for fun enjoyable or relaxing.

In fact, it’s reported that the majority of Americans choose to participate in holiday cookouts on Labor Day, making it a top grilling weekend and time for socializing and relaxing with loved ones.

But this is the deal. As believers, no matter what we decided to do, the Bible is very clear that it should have been done for God’s glory.

This is something made clear in Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth when he wrote, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

With these words, Paul reminded them and us that every aspect of our lives—even the most routine, ordinary tasks—holds profound spiritual value.

Starting off his letter to the Corinthian church, the Apostle Paul addresses a highly debated topic (1 Corinthians 10:23-30) of the time—whether believers could eat meat previously sacrificed to pagan idols. While Paul confirms that Christians have great freedom in Christ, he shifts the focus from what is simply permitted to what is ultimately beneficial, establishing a universal standard for daily living.

In doing so, Paul declares that even the most mundane acts like eating or drinking should be intentional choices made to honor God and reflect His character. Which means what we eat matters!

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

Especially when we consider that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in each and every believer. In light of that we are to “honor God” with our bodies, something that makes everything we do an opportunity to bring Him glory.

Furthermore, living out the command to “do all to the glory of God” means recognizing that worship is not confined to church buildings or special holy days, but is woven into our everyday routines in “whatever” we do. 

You see, when you and I make God's glory our primary standard and goal, our perspective shifts from pleasing ourselves to a desire to point others toward His goodness. Practically, this calls us to consider how our choices affect the faith of those around us, transforming our daily habits—such as our work, hobbies, and conversations—into opportunities to act with integrity, kindness, and love.

Ultimately, the verse serves as a powerful reminder that no action is too small to matter to God, and every choice we make can be a living testimony of our faith.

So “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” my friend. You will not only be acting in obedience to the command to honor God with your body, but will be using every day actions to lead others to the One who inspires this worship.

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that our bodies are not our own. And, as such, everything we do should be done to glorify You. Help us to understand this Lord that we might eat, drink, and act in ways that are pure, honoring, and holy. It’s in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!