Staying on Course in the Race Marked Out For You!

It's hot.  It's very hot!  Last week 92 and 94 before cooling off.  Today it got to 96.  In order to run a marathon you have to stay the course.  You can't let the heat stop you.  The heat....wait a second.  Maybe I've stumbled onto a metaphor?  Yes, I think I have.  The heat is kind of like sin when it  jumps in front of you to take you in a direction that is opposite of what God wants.  When it's hot outside, it's easy to think, "Well, maybe I should take the day off," and of course that leads to another, and another, and then you have been diverted from your goals....from what God wants for you! 

So I have to stay on course.  I have to be disciplined.  In order to run the race with excellence, I have to follow through with the goals I've set for myself.  This is true in all facets of my life, but I'm going to lay out for you what my training plan entails.  First, let me review.  I restarted my training after a two week rest following the Pittsburgh Marathon.  My total mile goals over 30 weeks:
1,250 walking miles and 1,000 running miles.  Remember I'm asking you to consider pledging a penny per mile or more towards the running miles.  That equals $10.00 per penny!  That's for all of you that are math challenged (smile)!  If you want to pledge towards total miles it would be $25.00.
                     Walking        Running       Total
Week  1 -         32                     8 =          40
Week  2 -         40                   20 =          60
Week  3 -         40                   28 =          68
Week  4 -         42                   36 =          78
Week  5 -         43                   41 =          84
Week 6 -          44                   42 =          86   This is Thursday.  I should accomplish these miles.
                       241                 175 =        416  

My longest run to date has been 10 miles.  By week 13 my long run will be 20 miles.  I want to maintain my total miles in the 80 to 110 miles per week.  In the next 24 weeks I want to complete five to seven 20-miles runs.  Ultimately, I'm hoping to bring myself to a fitness level that I can complete the Harrisburg Marathon in under four hours.  I haven't done that since 2002.

As you can see, I can't let a little heat stop me.  I can't let sin get in my way.  Pray for me.  Pray that I stay injury free.  Pray that I don't let sin detour me.  Pray that I take the time to pray for you all while I'm running.  Pray that I gain understanding of  Kenya and its people.  Pray for the Cassell family in Kenya, who will be our hosts and mentors while we are there.  Pray that this blog might touch other people for God and bring glory to Him.  Let others know about the blog.  Praise the Lord!