Consecration

 

I've been searching for over a year for a marathon to run. I've done one half-marathon and several 5ks but this would be my first 26.2 and I had a lot of criteria. That criteria has changed over the past few months. At first I was training in my Vibram 5-fingers so I was looking for a trail run, but then I developed foot pain from running wrong and had to wear shoes with inserts so trail running was out. I was looking for something close by, relatively flat, not on city streets and not on a Sunday. Then in September, Rich and I began our callings as temple workers, which is every Saturday morning. Now I had to look for a marathon that wasn't held on a Saturday as well. Good luck with that, you say? Well, I strongly believe in the promises in 2 Nephi 32:9 so I asked for Help in finding a marathon and then accomplishing the goal to run it. I soon found this one and have felt inspiration and help all along the way as I prepare:

• I was worried about what to eat before and during that long of a run, and then I got the same advice from two different people on the same day to use Chia seeds. My son-in-law got me a great recipe for chia/honey/lime water and that has proved to be the best fuel for all my long runs so far.
• I'm not very good about warming up before runs, and I started getting some knee pains. The next day I found in my inbox a video from Care2.com about the best routine for warming up: The Lunge Matrix. This has helped tremendously with my knees.
• After I began using DoTerra essential oils on my feet, my arthritis and foot pains have been greatly diminished and actually go away while I'm running.

Tomorrow is my longest of the training runs before the marathon on January 1st: 20 miles. I'm more excited than nervous and am confident things will go well, as I "run the race set before [me]" (see Heb. 12:1).