Train up a Child to Know the Love of Jesus

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 NKJV

Due to my need to attend an early morning seminar yesterday, I was up and out for my run before the sun came up. Compelled by the Holy Spirit to go a different direction than usual, I ventured into a neighboring housing district. 

As is my custom (for safety reasons) when running before daylight, my external speaker was turned off and I ran in complete silence in order to be fully aware of my surroundings. Because of the low visibility (I had only my headlamp), I was startled when I came upon a young girl sitting on the ground (barely noticeable in the darkness) waiting for the school bus, head intently looking at her phone with headphones on. And it seems she was just as startled as I was because she yelled out, “Jesus Christ!” Before adding, “you scared me!” 

Taken aback by the force of her words and the familiarity with which she took the Lord’s name in vain, I replied "Jesus Christ is Lord” to soften the blow.  I then stopped and smiled at her and said, “Jesus loves you. I really hope you know that.” 

At my words, the young girl seemed to let down her guard and quietly said, “Okay.” We then parted ways after telling one another to have a great day. You can be sure that I prayed, and will continue to pray, for her though. 

And, you know, while I don’t know the girls home situation or her background, it wouldn’t be a stretch for me to confidently say that she has heard the name of Jesus used as a curse word before (probably many times), hence the reason it was the first thing that came out of her mouth. This is something that not only grieves my heart as a follower of Jesus Christ but grieves my heart as a daughter of the King. 

You see, while my mother might have had her faults (like all parents do), she followed the command to “Train up a child in the way he should go.” And even though I strayed from that training for a long season, I never departed from the faith and understand now just how much Jesus loves me. 

Which is the very reason I was pained at the words this young girl spoke and why I pray that she will come to understand just how much she is loved and cherished by the Savior. 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 

So, if you’re a parent, take the command to train up your children in the way they should go seriously my friend, so they would understand just how much they are loved. And, if you’re not, I pray you’ll never miss an opportunity to remind someone that God loves them so much and that He gave His only begotten Son to prove it. So that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You would provide a Way to save us. Help us to truly understand this that we might be emboldened to share this Truth with others that they might take Your precious name in vain. It’s in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!

BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Lessons we Can Learn

Hello Runner Friends! 

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about lessons and inspirations. This was something I was thinking about after reading the amazing story titled “At 91, Dale ‘Grey Beard’ Sanders reclaims record as oldest hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail” yesterday. 

Talk about inspiring right??? I mean there are people half Dale’s age and half that age that would never attempt what he did! I don’t know about you, but I find his feat not only motivating but challenging! And I hope you do too. 

I hope that you read his story and say to yourself, “If Dale can do that, then I can do (fill in the blank).” “And if Dale could overcome all those hurdles, I can overcome (fill in the blank).”

So without further ado, let’s dive into Dale’s story together and see what we lessons (marked by an *asterisk sign) we can take away from it. 

More than 14 million older adults fall every year in the U.S., perhaps none so often as 91-year-old Dale Sanders.

*Lesson 1: Falling is a part of life. Get used to it. 

By his count, Sanders fell 7 times while reclaiming his record as the oldest hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail. Six were what he calls hard falls, including one that led to a brief hospitalization and another just 200 yards from the finish. But none were enough to permanently divert him from the 2,193-mile (3,530-kilometer) trail that runs between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine.

*Lesson 2: We get to choose whether we stay down after a fall. 

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy defines a thru-hike as completing all of the trail’s sections in any order within a year, allowing for pauses. Sanders started Sept. 6 in West Virginia, hopscotched around with some brief breaks and finished Monday atop Maine’s highest peak, where he paused to pray at the sign marking the summit.

*Lesson 3: Pausing to do what’s important should be a part of your plan. 

*Lesson 4: There’s power in prayer. 

“I had to thank God, and I had to thank my support team and everybody that got me here,” he said.

*Lesson 5: Gratitude keeps the mind happy and the legs moving. 

A long-planned comeback

Sanders, whose trail name is Grey Beard, first set the Appalachian Trail record in 2017 at age 82. Four years later, his 83-year-old friend M.J. Eberhart, aka Nimblewill Nomad, took the title. But within months, Sanders announced his comeback plan.

*Lesson 6: Never rest on your past accomplishments. Always strive to be better… no matter how old you are. 

*Lesson 7: It’s never too late for a comeback. 

While Sanders’ first journey was easier than he expected, the latest was considerably harder. Despite six months of training, he said he wasn’t in the best condition when he returned to the trail.

*Lesson 8: Age might make things harder but it doesn’t make things impossible. 

“And even today, I feel that I should probably be in better shape than I am,” he said last month. “But I just have to always go back and say, ‘But I am 91, so I’m blazing new ground hiking long distances like this.’”

*Lesson 9: Celebrate what your body can do. Everyone grows older but we don’t have to grow up… keep a youthful and optimistic mindset. 

In June, Sanders was descending Killington Mountain in central Vermont when he fell forward in a boulder field, scraping his legs, arms and hands.

*Lesson 10: Scrapes heal. 

“Thank God nothing got broken, but I was banged up,” he said. “I didn’t rub the blood off, I just kept hiking.”

*Lesson 11: Thank God and keep going. 

Weeks later, his left arm went numb and he ended up at a Maine hospital. What doctors initially feared was a stroke turned out to be a pinched nerve, but though he was soon cleared to resume hiking, he considered giving up.

*Lesson 12: When considering giving up, see lesson 13. 

He returned home to Tennessee in early August to be with his wife, whose mother had just died, and she convinced him to press on.

*Lesson 13: Find a cheerleader and make them a forever part of your life. 

His mission changed along the way

Some of Sanders’ best days were in Pennsylvania, where he enjoyed well-maintained trails and treats delivered by “trail angels.”

*Lesson 14: Life is full of ups and downs. The best days are filled with both. 

“When people are taking care of you and bringing you caramel frappes on the trail, the rocks don’t matter,” he said.

*Lesson 15: - Enjoy the good times in life. They remind us that the bad ones aren’t so bad. 

In fact, Sanders has become something of a star among fellow hikers. Thousands more follow him on social media, which surprised Sanders and caused him to expand his mission beyond reclaiming his record.

*Lesson 16: Don’t let praise produce pride. Remain humble and keep pressing on. 

“I wanna get it back, but right now, that’s secondary,” he said. “Right now, what’s the most important thing – and it’s one of the things that surprised me – is that people are motivated and given encouragement by my efforts.”

*Lesson 17: Live to inspire others to do hard things. 

Meredith Ewenson, who met Sanders in June while leading a hike in New Hampshire for 10 other women, said he embodied not just the idea that anything is possible, but that the journey matters most.

*Lesson 18: Don’t be so focused on the finish that you don’t enjoy the journey. 

“Seeing it in real life is something that I’ll definitely remember forever,” she said.

Ewenson said her group spotted Sanders early in the morning, but it wasn’t until he blazed by them hours later that they saw the Grey Beard logo on his T-shirt and realized who he was. They caught up with him that night at an Appalachian Mountain Club hut, arriving around 4 p.m.

“I got here at noon,” he told them.

The next morning, she and others cheered as Sanders performed a “victory dance” before setting off again.

“My first thought was ‘Wow, his mobility is insane,’” Ewenson said. “His face on that body just doesn’t make any sense. My brain couldn’t compute how he was so impossibly fit for being that age.”

*Lesson 19: We all have to grow old. But we all get to choose how we do that. Seek to treat your body like the temple that it is and it will not only serve you well but will inspire others to do the same. 

Off-trail adventures

Sanders was born in Kentucky in 1935, two years before the Appalachian Trail was completed. Bullied as a child for his small size, he gained confidence in solo sports like acrobatics and swimming. He later served in the Navy and retired in 2002 after a long career in parks and recreation.

*Lesson 20: Don’t let your early circumstances dictate your course of life. 

Sanders holds numerous other age-related records, including becoming the oldest person to paddle the entire length of the Mississippi River, an 87-day trip he started on his 87th birthday.

*Lesson 21: Celebrate birthdays with style. 

On his latest adventure, he tackled obstacles like downed trees or steep scrambles with vigor, though he started to get a bit wobbly toward the end of one 12-mile (19-kilometer) day. He laid down on the trail, said he needed a power nap and briefly fell asleep.

Two minutes later, he got up and kept hiking.

*Lesson 22: Life is full of challenges and ups and downs. Rest when you need to. Make recovery a priority. But never quit moving. 

And there you have it friends. There are so many lessons to learn from people like Dale Sanders who choose to make the most of life. And that’s where we have lesson number 23…. We only have one life and it’s short. So, live it in such a way that you wear yourself out and inspire the next generation to keep getting up and to keep hiking. Happy Running!

We are All Like Lost Sheep

"I have gone astray like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments." Psalm 119:176 NKJV

In a disturbing story published by Fox 8 Lansing over the weekend, it was reported that an 11-year-old boy who became separated from his cross country team and spent about two hours lost in the woods in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was found safe, authorities confirmed.

The boy was running near the Canada Lakes Pathway trailhead when he lost contact with his team on Tuesday, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said in a social media post. Conservation officers received a call from local dispatch at 7:29 p.m. reporting that the child had been missing for about an hour.

Working with the Luce County Sheriff’s Department, conservation officers organized a search, the department said. The first pair of volunteers found the boy safe and healthy within 45 minutes, and he was reunited with his mother.

“Keep eyes on him. Don’t take eyes off of him,” a conservation officer can be heard telling volunteers in body camera footage shared by the DNR. The officer then starts speaking with volunteers as he runs down a trail.

“How’s your run?” the officer then asks the boy once he reaches them.

And, you know, while we don't know how this young boy lost contact with his team, the story serves as a warning that going astray can happen very quickly. This is true in our spiritual life as well. Hence the reason, the psalmist said, "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments." 

In describing himself as "like a lost sheep," the psalmist was acknowledging that just as sheep wander away from the flock--because they become absorbed in grazing, get distracted, or lose track of their surroundings--he was prone to wander even though he does not forgot God's commandments. 

To understand how this could happen, consider that a sheep keeps its head down while intently eating grass and, in doing so, can become oblivious to their surroundings. In this way the sheep can slowly move away from the flock or not realize that the flock has moved away from them. Since sheep are then very prone to fear, they can quickly become distressed when they realize they are alone. 

In fact, when a sheep wanders away from its flock, its first and strongest reaction is usually intense panic. Because sheep are prey animals with a powerful herd instinct, isolation strips away their only real sense of security. Once separated, a lone sheep will typically stop grazing and begin bleating loudly in a desperate attempt to locate its companions. 

Unfortunately, instead of navigating its way back to safety, the panicked animal often wanders aimlessly or freezes in place out of fear. This disorientation frequently leads them into dangerous situations, as their poor depth perception causes them to stumble into ditches, wander onto steep ledges, or get their thick wool tangled in briars and brambles.

In the worst cases, a lost sheep might roll onto its back and become "cast," a helpless position from which they cannot right themselves without human assistance. Left unprotected and without any natural defense mechanisms, a wandering sheep is highly vulnerable to predators and completely dependent on a shepherd or handler to find and rescue them.

As you can clearly see, then, our first reaction when we have strayed (and every person will stray from time to time) is to follow the example of the psalmist and cry out to the Lord, "Seek Your servant." This simple prayer acknowledges that we have no power to find our way back by ourselves and need the Good Shepherd to lead us back into the safety of the flock. 

"The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles." Psalm 34:17

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own." John 10:14

The best part? The Good Shepherd knows His sheep (that's you, me, and every other person who has trusted Him as Savior), hears their bleatings no matter where they are, and delivers them out of all their troubles. 

"The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry." Psalm 34:15

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

So, if you're looking around at your life today and saying, "Wow, I sure have strayed off course and gotten lost," take heart my friend. The eyes of the Lord have always been upon you, His ears have always been open to your cry, and when you confess your sins, He is faithful to forgive and lead you back home. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that, although we will all go astray, You never take your eyes off of us nor are You ever deaf to our cries for help. Lord, cause those who are lost today to turn from their ways and seek You so they can be led back home. Thank You for being a Shepherd who loves His sheep so much that You would die for them. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

Study Diligently to Be Ready

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV

As my husband, Larry, and I were finishing up our long run late Saturday morning, we decided to leave the trail and walk the last half mile or so through the local park to cool off before getting into the car. We were intent on getting home to eat a much-earned lunch, but not so intent (although we were starving) on doing it that we passed up the opportunity to engage with a couple sitting in the park with Jehovah's Witnesses pamphlets, tracts, literature and a sign that read “Join us for Bible Study.”

My husband who always speaks out of love but is a staunch defender of the Truth, stopped and engaged in polite conversation about the display, knowing that many of the beliefs that Jehovah's Witnesses hold do not align with those of the Bible--specifically their view of Jesus being created by Jehovah as the archangel Michael before the physical world existed, and being a lesser, though mighty, god rather than being the Son of God who was not created and has always been. 

"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." Jude 1:3

As the discourse progressed, Larry and I were introduced to some of their other doctrines we were unfamiliar with that were directly antithetical to the teachings of the Bible. And although Larry nor I had ever read The New World Translation (NWT-the Bible translation the Jehovah's Witnesses use), we were able "to contend earnestly for the faith" because we had made diligently studying the Bible our highest priority.

This was something that became obvious when the woman smiled and said to Larry, "You must talk to Jehovah's Witnesses a lot." "As a matter of fact," he answered smiling back. "This is my first time. But I had to speak up. " At that, we talked a little more before exchanging pleasantries, shaking hands, and agreeing that none of us had changed our beliefs despite the efforts of the other.

"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

"And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" Matthew 3:17

And, you know, although the couple didn't change their mind right then, Larry and I prayed that our "rightful dividing" of the "word of truth" stirred their hearts to seek to grasp why we were so passionate about them coming to the understanding that Jesus is not only the Son of God but the only way to salvation, that their minds might be changed later. 

But here's the deal. This is the reason each and every believer must make it their highest priority to diligently study the Bible--that they might show themselves approved unto God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed by their mishandling (or misinterpretation) of the Word of God. In this way, believers will be ready to contend for the faith by always being ready to actively stand up, guard, and defend the core teachings of Christianity against distortion or false ideas. 

And don't think that you have to be an expert at fake religions to be able to detect false teachings either. As D.L. Moody once wisely said, "The best way to show that a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or to spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick alongside it.”

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33

So, make Bible study your highest priority. It will not only ensure that you will be a staunch defender of the faith but will ensure that the rest of your priorities will fall into line just as God intends. And this, my friend, is the secret to living a joy-filled life with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, at the center of it. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the Bible that is God-breathed and without error. Give us a passion for diligently studying it that we might always be ready to speak in love and truth as we contend for the faith, so that the lost would come to worship You in spirit and in truth. Help us to be bold Lord as we look for opportunities to both share and defend the Gospel. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!

We are Hard Wired to Worship

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord,And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,  And Your faithfulness every night” Psalm 92:1-2 NKJV

In an article published earlier this week by the Running Channel, the writer listed ten ways that running improves our mental health.

And the first reason won’t shock any seasoned  runner (or walker) with lived experience. Feel good chemicals that are emitted during exercise improve our mood and our cognitive well-being. That’s the main reason we do it right? And, most definitely, one of the main reasons we keep coming back to it. In that way, you could say that we are hardwired to run and to continue running.

The writer went on to say…

When you exercise, the brain releases a lot of feel-good neurotransmitters and hormones like dopamine, endorphins, endocannabinoids (responsible for the runner’s high), noradrenaline, serotonin, cortisol and even oxytocin, known as the ‘love chemical’.

Between them, they help to boost your mood, reduce stress, give some natural pain relief, make you feel good about what you’re doing, reduce anxiety, increase empathy and improve your all-round psychological well-being.

You don’t need to have a full runner’s high to benefit, and most of these chemicals are released soon after you start running – they’re even released on the runs that you find a struggle. Some of those chemicals remain at elevated levels in the bloodstream for an hour or more after you finish running. 

And, you know, in the same way that we are hardwired to run because of the neurotransmitters that are released that make us feel good, we are hardwired to worship. Why? Because worship releases “feel good” chemicals that boost our moods in ways that make us want more. 

In fact, just as science confirms the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters during exercise, neuroscientists have documented that the acts associated with praise and worship trigger a powerful cocktail of neurotransmitters as well.

For instance, expressing adoration and focusing on God spikes dopamine, which focuses our attention and rewards the brain with deep feelings of joy. At the same time, the practice of gratitude rewires our neural pathways to prioritize positive information over negative stressors, effectively lowering anxiety.

When worship takes place in a corporate or group setting (think group run), the biological effects multiply through shared human experience. 
Singing together in a congregation synchronizes the heart rates of participants and releases massive amounts of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for building trust, fostering social bonds, and lowering cortisol stress levels. 

Additionally, physical expressions of praise like clapping, swaying, or raising hands stimulate the nervous system to release endorphins and serotonin, which mask physical discomfort and elevates our overall mood.

From a spiritual perspective, this intricate biological design suggests that the spiritual disciplines we are called to practice are simultaneously engineered for our mental and physical health. Pretty cool right? 

And the best part is that we can praise and worship anywhere. This is the very reason that the psalmist declared that it was good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to His name. The psalmist went on to say that he would declare God’s lovingkindness in the morning and His faithfulness at night.

In this way, the psalmist began his day in worship (thereby creating an upward spiral for work), and ended his day in worship (thereby creating a perfect atmosphere for sleep)—something that you can be sure was great for his mental health!

So, if you’re struggling with anxiety or depression today, lift your hands in worship to the Lord my friend. Sing songs of praise until the cloud of gloom passes and then thank God for His faithfulness. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for creating us in ways that we crave that which is for our good and for your glory. Lord cause us to long for worship in the same way our bodies long for food, water, and exercise. Help us to put You first in all things that our minds, bodies, and hearts might be happy and healthy. It’s in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!

Forward is a Pace

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,” Philippians 3:13 NKJV

In an inspiring story titled “‘Forward is a pace’: Coastside runner conquers Leadville 100” published yesterday, it was reported that Julia Minkstein, 23, has completed three 100-mile races while managing celiac disease, sobriety, school and full-time work.

On the backside of Hope Pass, about 59 miles into one of the country’s most storied ultramarathons, Julia Minkstein wanted to quit.

The trail was steep. The wind was picking up, the temperature was dropping and Minkstein still had to climb toward the 12,500-foot pass—with roughly 40 miles left before the finish line. The 100-mile race began Aug. 22 in Leadville, Colorado, and continued into the following day.

“I was miserable,” she said. “I was like, ‘I hate this. The universe is against me. I want to quit.’”

Instead, the 23-year-old longtime Coastside resident repeated a mantra familiar to many ultrarunners: “Forward is a pace.”

As long as she could put one foot in front of the other, she was still getting somewhere.
Hours later, Minkstein crossed the finish line of the Leadville Trail 100 Run, completing a 99.7-mile course with more than 13,000 feet of elevation gain…

And, you know, in the same way, moving forward, step-by-step will get us to the finish line in a hard, physical race, moving forward step-by-step will also get us to the end of our spiritual race.

This was something Paul alluded to when he said, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,”.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words from prison, using the image of an athlete running a race to explain how to live a faithful life… especially when managing the memories of our past mistakes and the reality of our current difficulties. Rather than giving up though, this is the exact time that we need to remember that if we will just keep moving, we will not only finish strong but will grow along the way.

This is reason Paul said that he did not consider himself to have "taken hold of it yet," proving that even as a major church leader and super Apostle, he knew he still had room to grow. This humility in spirit kept Him focused on the finish line and his need for Jesus to help him make it there. 

And by saying, "forgetting what is behind," Paul was refusing to let yesterday's sins, regrets, or even past spiritual successes distract him from running the race today. Instead, he describes himself as "straining toward what is ahead," using a word picture of a runner leaning forward with every muscle to cross the finish line with a single-minded focus on knowing Jesus better.

Today, this message matters because it stops guilt from bringing us to a standstill by freeing us from past mistakes, prevents pride from being a stumbling block by keeping us from coasting on old achievements, and provides a clear focus for our current life with God. In other words, Paul reminds us that forward (no matter how fast or slow that is) is a pace that we must always keep.

So, no matter what your past looks like, keep putting one foot in front of the other in your pursuit to be like Christ today my friend. Some days might be easy running and others might be hard walking, but if you keep moving forward, you will still be getting somewhere. And that somewhere is heaven… one step at a time. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that the Christian race will not be an easy one. Lord, help us to focus on You today and every day that we might not get sidetracked by thinking about the past but remain focused on pressing on to the future and finishing the race set before us. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!

BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Why Hill Work Belongs in Your Training

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about why hill work belongs in your training, even if the race you're training for doesn't have any significant hills.

 

For instance, the Bass Pro Marathon/Half doesn't have a whole lot of hills but the Dogwood Canyon trail runs do, a whole lot of them! As does the upcoming Run the Rock  happening on September 12. 

But this is the deal, no matter what event you're training for, I will tell you that as a runner and running coach, one of the best ways to become a stronger, more efficient, and more confident runner is also one of the simplest: run some hills. 

Hills may not always be your favorite part of training (I know runners who avoid them like the plague), but they have an incredible way of exposing your weaknesses and then helping you turn those weaknesses into strengths. 

Which means, whether you’re training for your first 5K, working toward the Bass Pro Shops Half Marathon or Marathon, or preparing to tackle the trails at Dogwood Canyon, adding regular hill work can make you a better runner from head to toe.

Which brings us to some of the many benefits of running hills…

Hill running is often called "strength training in disguise," and for good reason. Running uphill requires greater involvement from the glutes, hamstrings, calves, quads, and core than running the same pace on flat ground. It also encourages a strong knee drive, good arm movement, and a powerful push off the ground. Instead of simply trying to run faster to increase the intensity of a workout, a hill naturally creates resistance. Over time, that extra resistance can help improve running strength and make your normal running pace on flatter terrain feel easier.

Hill work is also great cardiovascular training. Your heart rate climbs quickly when the road starts going up, even when your pace slows down. That means hills give you an opportunity to work hard without necessarily having to sprint. Short hill repeats (sprinting up and jogging down) can provide a powerful workout, while longer, steady climbs can teach your body to maintain effort when running gets uncomfortable. Both are valuable tools for anyone participating in the Bass Pro Fitness Series, especially as fall race season gets closer.

But the benefits of hills aren't only physical. Hills train your mind. Every runner eventually encounters a moment in a race when the legs are tired and the brain starts suggesting that slowing down or stopping would be much easier. Hill training gives us repeated opportunities to practice staying calm, maintaining effort, and continuing forward when things get difficult. 

There’s something incredibly satisfying about reaching the top of a hill that once intimidated you. Do it often enough and you begin approaching hills with confidence instead of dread.

And there may be no better opportunity to put that hill training into practice than Run the Rock at Top of the Rock in Ridgedale, Missouri. Run the Rock's challenging 3- and 6-mile courses provide exactly the kind of terrain that can push runners outside their comfort zones. The 6-mile course in particular is challenging, with hills and a variety of surfaces along the way, but runners are rewarded with some of the most beautiful scenery in the Ozarks, including waterfalls, a cave, scenic overlooks, and incredible surroundings. Instead of looking at those hills as something standing between you and the finish line, think of them as part of the training.

Run the Rock also comes at a great time for runners who have their sights set on the Dogwood Canyon Trail Runs in November (or any other fall race). Trail running requires a different kind of strength than running on flat pavement. Hills, uneven surfaces, changing terrain, and long climbs can challenge muscles that don't always get enough attention during traditional road training. 

Don't forget about the downhills, either (I can’t stress that one enough). Many runners focus so much on getting to the top that they forget descending is a skill of its own. Downhill running places different demands on the legs and requires balance, control, confidence, and good technique. A runner who has practiced both climbing and descending is going to be much better prepared when race day includes rolling hills or challenging trail terrain.

If hills aren't currently part of your training, you don't need to start by finding the biggest hill in your neighborhood. Begin gradually. Add a few short hills to an easy run, finish a workout with several controlled hill repeats, or choose a rolling route once a week. Focus on effort rather than pace. Your pace will naturally slow going uphill, and that's okay. Keep your posture tall, shorten your stride, use your arms, and concentrate on maintaining a steady effort all the way to the top.

So, there you have it friends. I hope that inspires to seek the hills and seek them often!!! And if you're looking for the perfect place to put that hill strength to the test, get registered for the Run the Rock. Those hills just might be exactly what you need to get stronger today—and to be ready when the trails of Dogwood Canyon come calling in November. You'll also be more than ready for those flat races! Which makes running hills a win-win for every runner.  Happy Running!