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!