Preparing for Rain

Have you seen the movie "Facing The Giants"? It is rather good. It is about a High School Football coach in Albany, GA (I ran a marathon there in March) who is down on his luck. His team seems to be going no where and he feels he may be replaced any day. He turns his team philosophy to praise God in everything they do. If they win, they praise God, and if the lose, they Praise God. It is a pretty predictable movie but good none-the-less.


One scene shows an older man who comes into the school to pray daily. He tells the coach a little parable that goes something like this:


There were 2 farmers who lived in an area ravaged by drought. They both prayed to God for rain. One of the farmers prepared his fields to receive the rain he was praying for but the other farmer only prayed for rain. When the rains finally came, which farmer do you think took better advantage of the rain?


Today, on my run, I was preparing for rain. Well, not rain, for a good marathon. It was Hot and Humid out there. It was sunny and miserable out there. I think it was in the lower 90's with no wind, full sun, and probably a heat index over 100. Mark, you would have loved it! I went out for a 6 miler, no watch, no set pace, just out for 6. It was seriously worse that when I ran the Chicago Marathon in the melt down year. But I kept telling myself I was preparing for rain. By running the the extreme heat, I am adapting my body to be able run more efficiently in the heat and also, when the cooler weather come, the ability for my body to maintain a stronger pace, longer.


It is hard for me to believe I will be ready to do this when I ran as slow as I assume I ran today. I took a walk break at 3 miles and then again at 5. But I am confident when the cooler, less humid weather comes, I will be better prepared to run faster. I have a few time goals for the marathon this fall. My top goal would be to break 3:45 but if not, definitely to break 4 hours again. OK, OK, maybe not in the Flying Monkey, that course is seriously insane, but in an October marathon, perhaps Grand Rapids.


I keep trudging along, I hope you are too!