Joy!

​Earlier this month, as many of you already know, I ran my 12th marathon. And this one was more of a unique marathon for me. Now I believe I’ve shared with some folks before my love/hate relationship with running long distances. The amount of time, training, and dedication to really any distance, but especially the longer distances, can be incredibly hard. It’s not like you can throw on a pair of running shoes and just go out and run. The longer distances require months of building up mileage so that your body and mind are ready for race day. From the different kinds of running shoes, socks, shorts, and tops to what kind of fuel to take while training, there are a lot of things that go into running for several hours.
 
And why I do this to myself…well my friends, the payoff of crossing the finish line is unlike any feeling I’ve ever felt in the world. Exhaustion (sure), relief (finally I can rest), but ultimately the best word to describe the feeling is JOY. Joy for accomplishing something that felt so impossible at the beginning. For those months of training in hot, cold, rainy, and even perfect mornings. It’s the conclusion of a journey that when you truly put in the work, it means so much that it has all come together. Joy!
 
So, what made this one so unique for me? Well, this race I was helping one of our closest friends (Katie) run her first marathon. So, my whole process was wrapped up in helping her accomplish this goal. Katie had run a few half marathons, so she was already halfway there. But helping her with the even higher mileages, working on her training plans, different types of fuel she can take, how to carry water for longer runs, and even running most of the longer runs together…it was indeed a different process to go from a runner to a coach. Helping her fix her eyes and mind on not only finishing the marathon but working through the process so that she was truly ready to tackle the marathon. And watching her cross the finish line was indeed just as rewarding as it was for my own finish!
 
Friends, in Hebrews 12 the Bible talks about running with perseverance the race set out before you. Just as Katie and I fixed our eyes on crossing the finish line…Hebrews talks about focusing your eyes on the prize, which is Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. This life is a marathon. There are ups and downs. We need fuel along the way. We need to support each other. We need our brothers and sisters. I am thankful for the people who have poured into my life to help me along this journey of faith. And I’m thankful for this Northbrook community for always praying and encouraging me, even when I do crazy things like marathons. I am truly grateful for you all.
 
With gratitude,
Allen Whittaker
Executive Director