Today is Wednesday, April 27th, 2016; Karen's Korner #3298

I did it! I ran a mile in the Great Blue Mile as part of the Drake Relays in Des Moines last night.

Never did that before and I didn't know if I could do it without walking. Running the whole mile was my goal! Because I had never 'run' (jog? some power walkers were faster than me!), that far before, I knew I had to run a slow and steady pace. My time was 14 1/2 minutes.

I knew that I couldn't pay any attention to faster runners or anyone who might pass me. I didn't want to look back at the 'walkers'. Or those with little children. Or pushing strollers.

I had to pay attention to me. And what I knew that I wanted to accomplish. There were several thousand of us. Running east down Grand Avenue, we made the one-half mile mark before we rounded the corner, moving another block or two before heading back west and the finish line. As I got to the half-way mark, I knew that I would keep going at my set pace.

As I ran, I thought about our lives. We aren't supposed to run anyone's race but our own. Everyone there had a different goal:  winning, faster times than the last time they had participated, completing the one mile gig.

The Bible tells us the same thing:  "Let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1).

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