Just the Motivation I Need

There is something that I dread but I’m always glad that I did… RUN! I have been running for the past 10 years or so and was running a good bit at one point a few years ago, working my way up to half marathon. I completed the half and soon after hurt my back in a BIG way that resulted in years of therapy, surgery, and more therapy. Getting back to exercise has been a journey and a test of patience. I had those times where I thought, “walking?? I am a runner! If I can’t run, then forget it!” Crazy, I know.

I was given the great advice to do whatever it took to heal well and eased my way back into exercise. Now I enjoy running in a new way. Not so much about accomplishing and racing anymore, but more about the connections I get to make over 3 or 4 mile runs around our little town.

I have a group of ladies that I meet to run with a few times a week. I’ll be honest….when I get that text from someone that says, “Want to run??”, sometimes I have to force myself to respond. I want to come up with a really good excuse because after all, it is summer in Georgia! Hot and 200% humidity! However, because of our accountability and relationship with each other, we soon start replying and setting up the time for the next run.

We run and pretty much solve every problem in society and with our children, we plan trips, we come up with ideas for Christmas gifts, and we share advice on health, schools, clothes, and everything in between! These ladies get me out and get my heart pumping, but more than that, they energize my spirit every time I am around them. These ladies are people I have grown to love and trust and we share things with each other, knowing the others will be praying for us and checking in on us. The miles go by quickly when we are running together and the conversation often has to be turned off because of the next pressing thing on our agenda or time for carpool.

We have talked about goals and running races together, but it has been challenging to set up races when we are all moms juggling 14 children between the five of us. So we have just made up our own races- something fun to motivate our runs every now and then. For example, two of us turned 40 one day apart, so I made us bibs to wear for our “Turning 40 5k” we did that day! This was our accomplishment before a spa day together!

Around Christmas, we decided we were having our own “Jingle Jog”. This was not an official race, but just our own race we made up and named. My daughter heard about it and made bows for our shoes and a prize for the winner!

3 Reasons Why We Should Sweat Together

Exercising alone is perfectly fine, but I wanted to share a few reasons why I think it is good to do it together…

1. You push each other to go farther and work harder than you would by yourself. There is something about setting a goal and achieving it with friends that make it more fun as well as more attainable. We have set some goals and have seen one of our girls who never ran, smash them!
2. There are connections waiting to be made through exercise. Running is obviously not the only exercise you can connect with. I have ladies I walk with, a friend I paddleboard with, ladies I have played pickleball with, and some of the same faces I see over and over at the gym. All of these are pockets of people in my circles that I have found a commonality with and we do things we enjoy as we get to know each other. (I realize that list of activities just made me sound like some super athlete….which I am NOT….I just enjoy activity and try to get it in at least 3 times a week in some form or fashion….not ALL of it!) I want to be intentional about relationships where I live, work, and play. I want to purposefully invest and have gospel conversations in all of those circles, in this case, where I “play”.
3. Doing this together fills my bucket. I juggle home, children, ministry, work and love all of those things, but continually pouring out can be draining. I need those things in my life that will refill my bucket and energize me for my family and others. Spending time with the Lord fills me over and over spiritually and spending this time with my running girls fills me physically and relationally. Sweating it out and talking it out with my running buddies leaves me more energized when I leave than when I started.

I would encourage you to find a group of people you can connect with over a hobby or activity. It can literally be ANYTHING, but the connections you make are EVERYTHING.

What connects you to people where you “play”? Give us some ideas for those of us looking for those connections.