Because I can

This time last year, I was in training for the City to Bay 12km run in Adelaide, held each September.  A couple of days after a training run with my co-consiprator (AKA very dear friend) on the 18th of July, my feet were very painful and sore to walk on, and a rather large bump had appeared on the back of my heel.


In trying to figure out how to best manage the symptoms that had flared up in my feet, I was told by my physio and podiatrist that running was really out of the question for me.  I was devastated - I'd finally come to love running, only to be told it really wasn't a good idea.

Then 3 months ago tonight, I was laying in a hospital bed in agony, unable to walk due to a flare-up of the arthritis in my feet, and it was a month before I could walk again without a walking stick. If it hadn't been for the fact that I knew that God was taking care of everything (despite how it felt at the time), I would have felt completely hopeless, wondering if I would ever walk without pain again.


That run on the 18th of July was the last time I ran.


Until tonight.

Tonight, I ran on the treadmill at the gym.  

I ran on the treadmill at the gym.

I moved for 25 minutes on the treadmill, with 2 x 5 minute runs, and when I hurt so much I thought I was going to throw up, I remembered laying in that bed unable to think of anything but pain, and I just kept going. 

And going.  

There is a quote on the wall of my gym that says 'exceed your expectations....because you can' (which I've posted about before).When I first started walking tonight, it hurt more than I thought it would, and I thought 'Right, I'll aim to move for 20 minutes'.  The more I walked, the more it hurt, and it hurt a little bit more when I started running.  But I just kept going......because I can.  

About 1.5 minutes into the second run, I didn't think I could keep going, but I did......because I can.  

And when that 5 minutes was up, I kept going for another 10 seconds.....because I can.


At the 20 minute mark, I continued walking - partly because I was afraid that if I stopped moving I might just fall down, but also......because I can.


I exceeded my expectations, because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

'Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.'

(Philippians 4:13)

I can do anything, because He has made me to be who I am.

I am a runner.

Feels so good to say that again.

My thought for the day - find what your limits are, take them off and exceed your expectations.....because you can.