Redemption and Faith

Redemption...

Definitely the wettest run EVER last night, 10 miles in a flood! So why did I find it so completely exhilarating???? 

Definitely a Shawshank moment







...and Faith

Welcome to an extract from a Facebook conversation I had with a friend the other day. Hope it does you good as it did me. 

A. Can I ask you a question? How did you manage to get to 9 miles? Did you believe you could do it?

Jacky. Well basically you just increase your run by 5 minutes each week and then as if my magic, you find you're running 9 miles.

A. As if by magic? Did you believe you could do it?

Jacky. Honestly, it's as simple as that. Tiny increases. It's the same as marathon training - you start wherever you start, increase by 5 or 10 minutes per week, and you get to 26 miles.

A. So, did you ever believe you could run a marathon?

Jacky. Did I believe I could do it? Well I think confidence grows over the years and with experience. I remember the first time I ran 3 miles and telling EVERYONE! I remember running 6 and that being such a milestone. I remember the first time I ran 12 miles and I told random people in the street. And I remember hearing about someone running 18 miles and thinking that was utterly out of my league…….

A. Thank you.

Jacky. …….. BUT - I know now that you just do a little bit more each time and before you know it you're running further than you could ever imagine.

A. You've just increased my faith...

Jacky. Exactly. I really honestly believe the impossible now. I seriously believe I’m going to run 40 miles a day for 10 days.

The lesson from this innocent conversation? Faith, in whatever area it’s in, doesn’t start with believing the impossible. It starts where you are, it increases as you take a few more steps at a time, until all at once, you’re walking in and believing in The Impossible.