ROOKIE MISTAKE
Running is an essential part of my everyday life. However, it didn’t use to be that way, it used to be absolute torture. My rookie year of running was a rough one. Some days I would have rather had teeth pulled than set out on a four mile for Cross Country. Or even worse, complete a Fartlek. The thought still sends shivers down my spine! However, I am so grateful for that first year of running, because it gifted me an experience that has forever changed my relationship with the Holy Ghost. After Fall 2012, I learned real quick how important it is to follow the promptings of the Spirit.
Let me set the scene. It is Septemberish in Southeastern New Mexico, which means it is still boiling-lava hot outside. I am trudging to the locker room, once again rethinking my decision to run for fun. The week before, we had received our new running shoes for the year, and this was the first day I would actually be running in them. For the novices like me, it is important to break in your running shoes before actually running in them, to prevent injuries and blisters. Our coach had suggested wearing them around for at LEAST a week before actually running in them. Ok, let’s be real. Quality running shoes are not stylish. A good pair of running shoes is never going to match with any of your cute outfits. They just won’t. Back then I cared a lot more about style, so I was not about to wear those multi-colored tennis shoes with my school clothes. Instead, I wore them for maybe a day, at most, and figured it would be fine. Boy, was I wrong.
After making it to the locker room that sweltering Septemberish day, I can distinctly remember opening my locker, taking my gym clothes out of my bag, and this urgent thought popping into my head. You can’t run in these shoes today. What do you mean I can’t run in these shoes today? I didn’t bring any other shoes to run in. What am I going to do, walk up to my coach and say, “Sorry coach, I can’t run today, I have a bad feeling about my running shoes”? I am sure that would have went over fantastically. Despite the thought continually resurfacing in my mind, I was somehow able to convince myself that I had for sure broken them in enough. I was just overthinking things, and possibly searching for any reason to get out of practice. It was all going to be fine, right? With these doubts circling in my head, I laced up my ugly, predestined for failure, sneakers, and headed out to stretch.
If I remember correctly, we were doing a “short” run that day, a simple four miles. Despite the nervousness I felt in my stomach, I did not tell my coach about my fears. Instead, I left for the run with the rest of my teammates. The run felt pretty good. I mean as good as a 90 degree, dirt in your teeth run can feel. I can still remember turning down the street that led to our football stadium, and seeing my teammates waiting for me and the others by the lamp post (back of the pack is where it is at 😉). Look at that! My worrying had been for naught. I was practically done, and nothing bad had happened. As I was coming up on the finish line, I felt this distinctive tug in the arch of my right foot. It wasn’t a full *SNAP*, but it was pretty dang close. Despite this odd sensation, I was still able to make it to the finish line, and felt only a slight pain in my right foot. It’ll go away. It’s fine.
Everything was not fine. My foot continued to bother me, and I dreaded going to practice even more (if that is humanly possible). Luckily, I know a pretty good foot doctor (thanks, Daddy-o!), who determined that I had developed Planar Fasciitis in my foot. Fast forward five years, and I still have Planar Fasciitis in my foot. My dad made me these life-changing, custom orthotics, that have helped to alleviate most of the pain, but on longer runs, the pain is definitely there. During the winter months, that arch pain loves to remind me of its presence, and my horrible decision. I see possible surgery in my future. And to think, if I had only listened to the promptings of the Spirit, this whole situation could have been avoided.
So, in the Fall of 2012, I made two rookie mistakes. First, always break your running shoes in! Disregard the cute outfit, and rock your ugly running shoes for at least a week straight. Second, always follow the promptings of the Spirit. It can sometimes be difficult to differentiate between our own thoughts, and the Holy Ghost speaking to us. However, as we continue to act on what we think are promptings, and stay worthy of his presence, it will become easier. Looking back now, I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Holy Ghost was trying to warn me that day. The thought just had a different feel to it. It was urgent, and had this cannot-be-argued atmosphere to it. I am for sure no expert in recognizing the Spirit’s promptings, but I know that this experience has helped me to think twice about thoughts and impressions I recieve. If the thought is an easy one to follow, such as “Say hi to that person, it will make their day”, I try my best to just do it. What is the harm if it isn’t a prompting from the Spirit? Being too kind to someone? If the prompting is a little more challenging to follow, I ask the Lord if it is a prompting or not. The Lord is always there to answer our questions, and if I had taken the time to say a prayer in that locker room, I could have possibly avoided a lot of pain and embarrassment. Learn from my horrible example, and maybe you’ll start out as a little less of a rookie.