Lessons Learned on the Road - Rest Days Fuel Your Run


My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.
Psalm 62:1

It's week 5 of my 18 week marathon training schedule. Each mile draws the starting line a bit closer. Four days a week I run. I run in heat, rain and humidity and I run whether or not I feel like it. Tenacity plays a big role in my training. Tenacity logs the miles so I can go the distance on marathon day. 

But there is an element of my schedule that's just as essential. These days are not marked in numbers but in words. Rest. They beckon my heart to sleep, calm and recovery. Rest is vital to my ability to run and particularly important to keeping me injury free.

Tenacity plays a big role in my life as well. I decide to stay married on the hard days. I choose to do dishes, carpool kids and wash clothes when I'd prefer to go window shopping. Tenacity prepares my heart to go the distance.

But rest is equally important. My ability to hold my tongue, my temper and my thoughts increases in direct proportion to rest. Rest keeps my relationships injury free.

So how can we make rest a high priority? Here's a couple of ideas:

1. Go Offline - Some weekends I choose to be social media free. I have to unplug to fully unwind. I need to take out the noise to clearly hear Him.

2. Go Outside - I love to swim, take the kids to the park or on a bike ride. Fresh air delivers fresh perspective. Something about removing physical barriers demolishes the spiritual barriers in my life as well.

3. Go On Adventure - I believe God pre-wired humans with a piece of His creativity. We were made to learn and experience. Reading a new book, visiting a new town or meeting a new person can put our hearts at rest by filling our desire for creativity.

We all run in more directions we can count. We log innumerable miles on each of life's days. If we're going to reach the finish line, we need ample amounts of tenacity and rest. 

So today, don't run with me. Rest with me instead.


24 comments:

  1. Love this post, and it is so so true. I need to stay computer free for a day. It will be a real test for me. :) xo

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  2. LOL. I was forced to be unwired for the night not too long ago with out internet down! Anyway, I just wanted to say that I love running ... but I love doing other things too. So I have not been able to concentrate enough for marathon training. Oh well!

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    1. That is the bummer about marathon training - it sort of takes all your training hours. I miss the occasional spin class or boot camp. :)

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  3. I love this, "Tenacity prepares my heart to go the distance". That's what I lack. This lack limits my movement and progress...

    Yes, rest does fuel us. I imagine it to be the same as pulling a rubber band as far back as you can. When you release, you're launched just as far, if not farther. We perform better after we've rested.

    Sometimes, though, rest just seems so elusive! :). I guess we do have to make an effort to find the time to do it.

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    1. Doesn't it. I never would have believed rest would be something I needed to work at. Seems so contradictory.

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  4. Shannon, can I rest all of the time?! :) This is so beautiful. I love your writing. :) xo

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    1. :) Becky I'm all for it. When do we begin? I'll even trek up to Richmond to make it easy!

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  5. I never thought of adventure as part of my resting activities, but it makes perfect sense.Thanks for another thoughtful post

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  6. Love this!!! You are so right: rest is a big part of it. Last week I was feeling tired all the time, but I didn't want to skip my daily run. Eventually I made myself take a rest, and now I feel great again!

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    1. That is so great! Rest really does work wonders!

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  7. I agree...burnout does never creativity make.

    lol My kids hate when I talk like that... so of course, I must. :)

    Great post, as always. And my all-time favorite paragraph of the post: Tenacity plays a big role in my life as well. I decide to stay married on the hard days. I choose to do dishes, carpool kids and wash clothes when I'd prefer to go window shopping. Tenacity prepares my heart to go the distance.

    Perfect!

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    1. Absolutely. Driving my kids crazy is just one more free service I provide! :)

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  8. Great post! And congrats on how well your training is going!

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    1. Thanks! Today my knees and sore so I'm very thankful tomorrow is a rest today. Hooray!

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  9. LOve this post = it's so important to recharge and get ready for the big day.
    So Impressed that you are doing the marathon!
    Leigh

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    1. I've dreamed of it for years. Now that it's a reality it's kind of scary... :)

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  10. I so love my social media free days.

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  11. Oh yes, the part about resting got to me. Two nights ago, I was up literally ALL NIGHT backing up the data on my computer because it was obvious my machine was going to quit on me any time. I knew if I went to bed for the 20 minutes available before I had to get my daughter up for school, I would be a total grouch. So I stayed up, got her off to school, and then slept until noon. Other times, I am online until late, go to bed, don't get enough sleep ... and then I really do find my patience stretched really thin. Speaking of rest, I think I will go offline right now and go to bed. I think I hear my pillow calling me. :)

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    1. Hope your heart finds a routine of consistent rest soon! :)

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  12. Oh, I hear you on this one, Shannon! When I was training for my half-marathon, I had to force myself to get extra rest. Long distance running is hard on the body (particularly when we aren't use to it) and rest is SO important. It is also vital to being a good communicator within the walls of our blessed life. I'm proof that a tired mommy is one who easily melts down when things don't go smoothly. I'm praying for you as you continue to train...and I'm totally cheering you on over here in Western PA!

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