We all have had our ‘first’ adventures in life, for runners, they have their first 5K; their first 10K, then if they are willing and adventurous, their first Half Marathon and Full Marathon run.   For the ‘crazy’ and most skilled distance runners, you even have your first 50 miler and even 100 miler!

For those who don’t know (I used to be one of ‘those’ who didn’t) a 10K run is 6.21371 miles.   That may seem not like much of a run for runners who are used to running marathons, yet for me, it was the longest distance I had ever ran in a single moment in my entire life!

Farmington Festival Days 10K was the race; and after my sister-in-law had invited me three different times to join her in this race, I finally, morning of the race (4:30 AM to be exact) accepted her invite; drove over an hour from my home to the race venue; and registered for the event!   I wasn’t sure at the moment why I decided to join her, other than I was looking for something fun to do and have for years now, wanted to better understand the ‘Runner’s Mentality’ as well as comprehend ‘Why’ they put themselves thru so much training prior to races; so much pain during these races; and at the end; ‘why’ it brings them so much ‘joy’ that they immediately start thinking about the ‘next race’.

Well, for all you ‘Runners’ out there, you should be proud to know that I finally ‘get it’!   It may not be this way for all of you, yet for my LDS fellow members, you should appreciate the analogy and thoughts I had during my first race in the beautiful city of Farmington, Utah.   You see, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we are taught of a Living and Loving Heavenly Father, whom we once lived with prior to living on this earth.   Our time here on this earth is a time to prepare to return to live with Him someday.   We walk in faith, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and lean on Jesus Christ to make our burdens light until we meet again in the afterlife.   We call this The Plan of Salvation.  As I was running, for whatever reason, I began to think of how this ‘run’; my ‘first run’; was like unto Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation.   Let me explain a bit about my and our beliefs as Latter Day Saint members…

Before coming to this earth, we all lived with our Heavenly Parents, we were born spirits; in a heavenly state; and wanted to be like our parents, eternal beings with bodies of flesh and bone; and enjoy the gift of eternal life and happiness.   They told us that we could do this, yet we would have to be born into an imperfect world, have trials and burdens as they once did.  These trials and burdens would build us physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually.   After enduring all that was given to us to endure, and by ‘choosing’ to obey God’s commandments; in a succession of right choices, we would be happy and return to live with them again.

This 10K that I ran, to me, was like unto the Plan of Salvation.    We registered for the race; were given a map of the run showing us where we would start, the route of the run, and where we would finish, this way we would have a plan of our beginning and end.  In the premortal life, we were all given a map as well, we studied it, some of us with excitement of what we were about to do; some of us a little nervous; and others down right scared of what was going to happen!   We then stretched; hydrated; did whatever things that runners do; waiting at the start line, excited to begin the ‘race’.   We were told that after running the 10K, and at the finish line, we would be given a prize; a cool t-shirt; and even have a complimentary hearty breakfast!   The same is true to God’s pan.   We all lined up in the premortal life, studied our individual maps; prepared ourselves; excited to begin our life.   We are promised that if we finish the race, and endure to the end, we will be given the prize of eternal life and salvation and have a feast of happiness.

The one thing that nobody told me about this 10K is what happens ‘during’ the race!   I had no idea how difficult it would be to run a little over 6 miles (I know, to some, this is NOT that big of deal, yet for me it was!).    Although, I will give credit to my sister in law, who time and time again has told me that I need to ‘prepare’ that she was ‘worried’ about how I would do in my first race; that I should get proper shoes; that I should practice running 3, 4, and even 6 miles before the race.   Unfortunately, I didn’t really listen to her, and let me tell you, I paid the price!   On about mile 4, I was feeling my legs turning to Jell-O; my feet were starting to burn; I began feeling that I was getting blisters known by runners as ‘hot spots’ on certain parts of my feet.   I was feeling pain and was ready to just bail out and cut my race short,  there was a cutoff I could have taken, yet I told myself that I must endure and finish this race that I made the commitment to run!   I’m not going to lie, it was difficult, I had to walk certain points, I had to rest at the water station and then I began running again.    Yet I thought to myself; it doesn’t matter whether I run thru the finish line; walk thru the finish line; or even crawl thru the finish line… All that matters is that I finish the race!  I will be given the same t-shirt; be fed the same breakfast; and be given the same welcome by those at the finish line!   What was great about this 10K was to see those during the race cheering myself and others on; those that were watching to care for those that had fallen; those who had already finished and were running back to run with those that were lagging behind.  Mile 4 to mile 5 felt like eternity, yet once I hit mile 5, I knew I was almost to the finish; I began to run again and didn’t stop until I crossed the finish line, greeted by family, friends and the best part a bottle of water and food!

God’s plan is no different than that of a 10K; Marathon; or even 50/100 miler…  We all had our time in the premortal existence to accept and prepare for our time here on earth.    We all are here on earth; different abilities; different circumstances; different talents.  Some of us are able to run a 5K, 10K, others a Marathon, and even others 50/100 milers.   In the end, all that matters is that we finish ‘our’ race.   God knows our strengths; he knows our weaknesses; he knows what trials we will have while here on earth., which is why he gave His only begotten son, to take upon Himself our burdens; whether they be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual.   He knew that we would need to be cheered; to be given rest; he would send his angels, both on this earth running alongside as well as those that had finished coming back and helping us along our way.    How grateful I am to have had the experience of my ‘first 10K run’.   It opened my eyes and heart and gave me the perspective I needed to continue to walk in obedience before the Lord in order to finish my own race here on earth.   So, when life beats you down, remember to not give up… endure… and finish your race! For once you do, you will experience the joy that I experienced in crossing your finish line!