Reflections of a Running Reverend

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7, NRSV Finishing strong. This is what every runner hopes to do at every race and run. For long distance runners, it means running all those miles but leaving enough in the tank for that final push. My running buddy Stephen uses a very Alaskan metaphor of a woodstove or fireplace. At the start of a marathon, he would remind me to pace myself, to time the "feeding of logs into the fire" strategically so that the flame keeps going. He also reminds me to leave enough for the final push. Then in the last mile, he goes, "Alright, Carlo, whatever logs you've got left, this is the time to throw it all in the fire! Time to go all out!" One time, I actually told him, "I don't think I have any logs left." I just didn't have enough in the tank to finish strong. I've since learned to pace myself better and in the last race I did, I actually had...

I did it! This past weekend, I ran my first ultramarathon, the inaugural 49K Ultra here in Anchorage. And thanks to your help, I made it, running it in 6 hours, 12 minutes and 18 seconds. I say "thanks to your help" because I know that you were with me. In my last post, Come Run With Me , I shared that I was going to do this race as a prayer run, dedicating a mile to praying for each of the churches in the Alaska Conference. And I invited you to join me in praying for at least one church. For those who were able, I invited you to run, walk, jog, or bike a mile as they prayed. I am thankful to all of you who joined me on this prayer run. I certainly felt your presence! And it definitely was helpful, especially at the points when I wanted to quit. Prayerfully thinking about the congregations, pastors and lay people helped keep my mind off the pain in my tired legs. And it motivated me to finish. The prayer run took on a whole new meaning for me with a woman I met durin...

I will be running my first ultramarathon on Sunday, August 17. An ultra, as it is fondly called, is any race longer than the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles or 42.1648 kilometers. I will be testing my limits in the inaugural 49K Ultra of the Big Wild Life Runs here in Anchorage. And while it is "short" compared to the standard ultra distances (50K, 50 miles, 100 miles and beyond), it is probably the longest I am willing to run, for now... What makes this race different from other races I've done in the past, aside from the longer distance, is my plan to do it as a prayer run. 49 kilometers is equivalent to 30.44860 miles. There are 28 United Methodist Churches in my area of responsibility. I would like to dedicate a mile for each of these churches. As I run each mile, I will prayerfully hold the church assigned to that mile, their pastor/s, lay people, missions and ministries. I will bring the following list with me: Mile 1: Aldersgate UMC , Juneau Mile ...

When asked for advice about training for a marathon, one of the first things I always say is, "find a running buddy." And I say this with much conviction every time because it is born out of my own experience. With me in the following pictures is Stephen, my running buddy, trainer, encourager and friend. Stephen runs ultramarathons (yes, the 100 mile type). He has been my inspiration in running. Stephen ran my first 5K with me 5 years ago. He was the one who said, "I think you can run a marathon." He ran my first three marathons with me. I would not have been able to finish these races without Stephen. I would not have gotten to a point where I would be ready to even run a marathon if not for him. Mayors Marathon in Anchorage Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks Winter Solstice Marathon in Willow A running buddy is not only one who runs with you but someone who holds you accountable. When you don’t feel like getting up in the morning, they are th...