Reflections on the Marathon: New Strength

“But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength.”  Isaiah 40:31

Post-race picture with Yvonne and Joshua

After months of training and planning, October 13 finally arrived!   I was excited to tackle my first marathon, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.   It was a beautiful morning and perfect running weather.  

I’m grateful for all my family and friends who have supported and encouraged me throughout my training and on race day.  I’m grateful that I was able to run to raise support ($4,445… praise God!) for the children and youth of Bethesda Church in Bolivia.  These gifts are going to go a long way in providing care and resources for young followers of Jesus in Bolivia!

My motto and prayer going into the race was “weak made strong.”   I knew that I needed Christ’s strength and presence to endure and fight through the challenge. Near the end, I reached a point of desperation where I knew I had nothing left within me, and I started to pray Isaiah 40:31.  God gave me new strength to carry me through the final part of the race, and I give Him all thanks that I was able to finish.  

I came so close to my goal of breaking the 4 hour barrier.  My official time was 4:00:49.  I will walk you through the race and some of my thoughts at the different points.  

Miles 1 - 3

I knew the first few miles would be tough.  I typically feel a little sluggish at the beginning of a run, and the marathon was no exception.  It also didn’t help that the pace group I was running with started extremely fast (40 seconds faster than race pace on a couple of the first miles).  I was looking at my watch in surprise.  My body definitely felt the fast start.   I got to see Yvonne, Joshua, and my parents around mile 3.  That was awesome!  It definitely gave me a boost, and I gave Joshua a high five as I ran past them. 

Getting ready to give Joshua a high five

Mile 5

At mile 5, I finally started to get in a rhythm and was feeling better about the run.  I stopped at every aid station to take Gatorade and walked for a few seconds to make sure I could drink it all and stay hydrated.  Honestly, throughout the race, every time I saw an aid station, it was a tremendous blessing!  My body was thankful for the sugar and the energy boost. 

Mile 12

I was hoping to see my family again around mile 11, but I missed them since they were on the other side.   At first, I was really bummed about it, but then God reminded me of His presence and picked me up.  I got ahead of the pace group at this point in the race and was feeling really good running solo.  But I didn’t want to risk getting too far ahead of myself with 14 miles to go.  So I slowed down and re-joined the pace group. 

Mile 16

I had one of those defining moments at mile 16, when I asked myself the question, “Why am I doing this?”  It was a moment of doubt.  But then, I started thinking about the kids at Bethesda Church in Bolivia and began to pray for them.  The song, “You’re Beautiful” by Phil Wickham came on my playlist.  As I listened to this beautiful song reminding me who God is, I was running up a hill towards Willis Tower in the distance reflecting on the greatness and awesomeness of our God.  It was one of the best moments of the race for me. 

Mile 21

Running through China Town

I saw my family again around mile 21 in China Town.  Again, it was a big boost, and I stopped to give Yvonne a kiss and told her I love her.  5 more miles to go, and I was feeling okay.  

Mile 22

Potential disaster almost struck around mile 22.  I was trying to pass someone, and my left foot hit the curb causing me to be in an awkward position.  I felt like I got shot in the leg as a cramp screamed up the back of my right leg. I have never experienced a cramp like this.  At this point in the race, I had already seen so many people cramping up and having to stop and stretch.  Feelings of fear started to creep in.  Do I need to stop?  Do I need to walk the rest of the way?  I kept going and after about a half mile, the cramp went away.  Thank you, Lord. 

Miles 23 - 26.2

At mile 23, I started to feel empty like I had nothing left.   I wasn’t sure how I was going to finish the final 3 miles.  It felt like such a long way to go.  I started praying Isaiah 40:31 and asking God for new strength.   I waited on Him and around mile 25, God gave me something extra to get through that final mile. 

For some reason though, that final 0.2 mile is no joke! You would think that after 26 miles, 0.2 miles would be easy.  But it is not... especially in Chicago because you turn and go up a hill.   You make another turn and then you eventually see the finish line.  I pumped my fist when I saw the finish line.  Finally! 

When I was walking out of Grant Park to meet my family, that is when I started to get emotional and felt what I had just accomplished.  26.2 miles… crazy!  

I’m so thankful to God for this milestone and experience.  I know that God gave me new strength to meet a challenge that was harder than I ever thought.   I am a marathon finisher and am excited to continue running for God’s glory!  

"Are you ready?"

This is the question that many of you have asked me this week.  I do appreciate the question and your interest as marathon day approaches (3 more days!).   The other question I have been asked a lot recently is “Are you nervous?”  The answer is yes to both questions!

Yes, I'm a little nervous!  I’m most nervous about the dynamics of running with 45,000 other people.  I’m curious how I will handle running in a pack for most of the race, and I’m hoping it won’t be a distraction and that I will be able to find my groove and rhythm.  I can also see how running in a pack could be a big boost and encouragement knowing that I’m not alone.  I'm also really hoping that I don't need to go to the bathroom during the race! :) 

Yes, I do feel ready, and I’m really excited for Sunday! I’m grateful for the training journey and for all the miles I've logged so far.  God has been faithful and has given me strength and protection throughout the journey.  There were a couple setbacks with sickness and injury, but even with those, I look back as much needed breaks and time for my body to rest and heal.   My hope is that Sunday will be a glorious day and experience.  I’m excited to see how God will provide and give me the strength to go all the way to 26.2.

I’m thrilled for all the people that have made donations and are praying for the children and youth at Bethesda Church.  It is awesome to know that these beautiful Bolivian kids are being cared for and provided for.  Thank you, God! 

 I’m thankful for my amazing wife, my children, and my other family members who have supported me throughout this journey and will be there on Sunday cheering me on.  I’m grateful for all my friends who have taken an interest in my training even though they aren’t into running at all.

I’d appreciate your prayers on Sunday and for God to continue the work that He has begun in me through running.   This is a prayer that I have prayed many times during my runs, and I invite you to pray this with me and for me:

“I kneel before you, God, the One who loves me, created me, sustains, and gives me life and I run not for myself but for your glory.”

Marathon Training Update (Week 15)

This Week's Recap:

Runs: 3
Total Miles: 29

Long Run: 20  (crazy!)

Saturday was a big day... I had September 21 marked on my calendar for a long time.  The 20 mile run is the peak of the marathon training.  I was nervous going into it because I've been dealing with some problems with my right foot.  The run went really well.  My foot bothered me for the first 6 miles and then I got into a rhythm and it held up okay.

It was a beautiful morning, and there were so many moments where God gave me the gift of His presence and strength.  Some of the things I love about running are being out in God's creation, alone, and listening to worship music.  It provides the opportunity for special moments between God and me.  The finish of the 20 mile was a taste of what I hope the end of the marathon will feel like.  Pure joy... thanking God for His faithfulness and strength and the opportunity to run!

P.S. My foot is still a problem, and I'm having trouble walking these days. Uh-oh!  I'm going to lay off running for a few more days and continue to ice and compress it.  I'm trying not to worry about it and instead trying to choose to trust God.  But I'd be lying if I said I'm not nervous about it given the marathon is about 2 weeks away.  I would covet your prayers for God's healing for my foot.      

Grateful!

I'm back into a rhythm of training and am very grateful to get in 4 runs this week with a long of 15 miles.  I'm feeling close to 100% after recovering from bronchitis, and I'm gearing up for the peak training run of 20 miles this next weekend.  Even though the sickness and recovery has been frustrating, it has brought me to a new place of dependence on God.  "Weak made strong" has been a motto and prayer for me these days just recognizing how much I need God throughout this journey and can't depend on myself and my own strength.  Dependence doesn't always feel good, but it is a good place to be!

Yesterday at church, we focused the whole service on our partnership in Bolivia with Bethesda Church.  It was a joy to hear our different team members share about their heart for the leaders and children at Bethesda.  I preached a sermon titled "Stakeholders in God's World" calling us to raise the stakes on our investments and relationships in God's work around the world.  I'm very thankful for all that God did and our church's continued partnership with Bethesda.

Our running crew from church, Team Bethesda, has raised $2,900 at this point, and I personally have raised over $1,000.  Praise God!  I'm very grateful for all the people who are giving their resources to partner with what God is doing at Bethesda.  We still have a ways to go to reach our goal, and I want to raise over $1,300 more for these children and youth at Bethesda.  Check out this link to read more:  http://www.razoo.com/story/Jared-Ahrens-Fundraising-For-Team-Bethesda.

Just wanted to share all these things to be thankful for!

Marathon Training Update (Week 14)

This Week's Recap:

Runs: 4
Total Miles: 29

Long Run: 15

Marathon Training Update (Week 13)

This Week's Recap:

Runs: 3
Total Miles: 18
Long Run: 10

Down but hopefully not out...

Well, I knew in some ways that this was inevitable.   Marathon training definitely takes a toll on the body.  I had a little bit of cold last week, and it got a lot worse the last few days.  My big concern was tightness in my chest.  I was more worried about my heart because I wasn't coughing or feeling any congestion in my lungs.

Anyway, I went to immediate care on Saturday because I couldn't ignore it any longer.  After the initial exam, the doctor didn't notice anything so he ordered for chest x-rays and an EKG to be done.  Fortunately, the EKG came back normal, but there was congestion developing in my right lung.  So I'm taking antibiotics for acute bronchitis and won't be running for a while.  The last couple days, I've been really wiped out and feeling awfully weak.

When I do start to feel better (hopefully very soon!), I will need to be careful with easing back into training.  If I rush back too soon, it could make things worse in my lungs.  So I know the next week or two will be a challenge as I wait to get back to running.  I know I will lose ground in building my fitness and readiness for the marathon.  But the important thing is to try and get to the starting line on October 13 as healthy as possible.

I am discouraged by this news, but I have to believe that there is a purpose in all this and that God is up to something.  So I've been re-surrendering this marathon journey to Him and asking for His will to be done and for my heart to really be open to Him.  If you are reading this, I'd appreciate your prayers for God to bring healing to my body and for wisdom in how to know how to adjust my training plan.   Thanks!