It started as a simple conversation at lunch.
When my cousin Kendrick told me that a portion of the proceeds from the Larner 5k would benefit Brayden Kier (you can read Brayden's story and support him here), I told him my cousin I would to the 5k with him.
With my pledge to participate secured, my cousin took the challenge up a notch.
"Let's not just do it. Let's run the 5k!"
"Huh? Me? Run?"
I couldn't remember the last time I had ran a mile, let alone three. However, I agreed to run with my cousin. That began a four-month journey for me getting off my couch and getting ready for a 5k race.
Here are five things I learned in the four months where I went from couch to 5k.
1. I. Hate. Running.
2. Distance running is a great metaphor for life. A 5k is just over a three miles. My first day in training, I could barely do a half-mile. And as bad as I felt, I felt even worse the next morning. Midway through the training, I started suffering from "Runner's Heel."
I see so many parallels to life in this. There are things I want to do that seem too hard to start, or once I have started them the obstacles in front of me seemed too challenging to overcome. Whether it's running a 5k or life circumstances, you have to keep pressing on, even if it's with a limp!
3. You need people in your life that challenge you to do better. I would probably still be on my couch if it wasn't for my cousin Kendrick. His simple challenge, "Let's run the 5K!" was all of the motivation I needed to get off the couch.
Every time I'm around Kendrick, my dreams get re-fueled. It makes me want to be around him more, and it makes me want to be that person who challenges and encourages the people around me to reach new heights.
4. I need goals. I probably won't keep running (refer to point No. 1), but I will no longer go to the Y, lift a few weights, and leave. Before the 5k, any old routine I did at the Y was good enough.
I rarely challenged myself on go up in weight, get in better shape or improve. It wasn't quite wasting time, but it was close. It felt so much better to push myself to higher heights that I could never go back to underachieving.
5. Things that you sacrifice for are more rewarding. I'm more of a (semi-retired) basketball player than a runner. Running didn't come naturally, and my miles were basically 10-minute splits. In other words, not fast. I may have gotten lapped by a speedwalker or two.
However, I went from not being able to stand up after a half mile to running a 5k easily in a matter of months. It was worth every hour I invested in training to feel that type of reward.
I write these blogs to encourage discussion. What is one goal you have for yourself? How will you achieve it? Who in your life most encourages you and challenges you to grow?
Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, a husband to Emily (read her blog here), a father to five kids and a freelance writer for Young Life Relationships, HipHopDX.com, JamTheHype.com and other publications. His first book, You're Grounded, was published by Moody Publications last year. You can order the book here.
At age 28, Notre Dame college football coaching legend Lou Holtz was jobless and almost penniless.
To make matters worse, his wife was expecting the couple's third child.
To help lift him out of a funk, his wife gave him a copy of David J. Schwartz's book The Magic of Thinking Big. Holtz began to make a list of 107 things he wanted to do before he died; a list that included things such as winning a national football championship, meeting the president of the United States and other outrageous ideas. (Read Holtz article here.)
For a man who wasn't sure how that month's bills were getting paid, that was thinking big.
Now, many decades later, that once unemployed 28-year-old coaching hopeful has crossed off over 100 things on his life's to-do list.
I'm finding myself in the same place as Lou Holtz. Not the championship-winning coach but the 28-year-old unemployed Lou Holtz. My life is full of ambition. And it's full of obstacles and challenging circumstances.
I'm working on my life's to-do list now. It includes things such as:
- Spend my whole life investing in a gospel-proclaiming, multiracial, missional church.
- Create a nationally syndicated podcast talking sports, culture, music and theology.
- Lead chapel for the student-athletes at my alma mater, Shenandoah University.
- Install a pond at my house for salamanders.
- Read 500 books.
- To give away $100,000.00 in my lifetime.
- Debt free by age 50.
- Sell a combined one million books in my lifetime and have a NYT bestseller.
- Spend part of every day praying for friends and family.
My list is still in its early stages, but I will see it through to completion, Lord willing. Here are three reasons I would encourage you to create a similar list.
- Goals are better than regrets. Even though Lou Holtz hasn't crossed off everything yet, he knows what he's aiming for. Creating that list and then going all out after it has led to one incredible adventure for the coach.
- There is no such thing as "Must See TV." Americans reportedly watch an average of 38 hours of television a week. Is this the alternative to chasing our dreams? I'm not anti-TV, but I doubt the season finale of any show could be as exciting as Lou Holtz putting a check mark beside the goal that read "Win a national football championship."
- This life is a gift. There's not a single material possession a man would willingly exchange for his life. That's because we all realize that our life is the most important thing we have. Not only is it a gift, it's the best gift. Drifting through life aimlessly is sort of like getting the present you always wanted and then never using it.
I write these blogs as a way to encourage discussion. I would love to hear some of your life goals. I'd also love to see your life goals list when you finish.
Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, a husband to Emily (read her powerful blog about forgiveness here), and a father to five wonderful kids. Chris leads Young Life in his hometown on Staunton, VA, and he has written for The News Leader, VIBE, SOUL M.A.G., Rapzilla.com, HipHopDX.com and several other publications. Moody Publishers recently published his first book, You're Grounded, which you can read about here.
