Howdy, Everyone :o)
Somedays I wish you could be inside my body to feel how good it feels to become more functional and balanced in my legs, hips and torso.
I came to running from having ridden over 750,000 miles on bicycles in my life time. Imagine a Cydesdale horse that has had way to much weight on its back from to young an age and its spine was so sagged that mid back looked like a U! That was me! Then take its hips and them to the right and forwards on the right then twist its shoulders to the left. That was me!
I wondered for decades why I was so prone to bike crashes with injuries almost always on the right side of my body. Why the right side of my body developed all kinds of joint, ligament and muscle pain when I attempted running any kind of distance.
I attributed a lot of this bio-mechanical mess to the numerous crashes I endured in my early years of bicycle racing when I had more speed than skill at keeping my rig up right through fast corners in races.
Way back in late 70's after a very memorable case of "Road Rash" as we use to call the skin burn you got from sliding sideways on your flesh on pavement I attempted to take a break from riding by rediscovered the joy of running and found myself quickly up to runs of 12-20 miles a day.
With no awareness of how my body had changed due to it's dealing with the trauma of the crashes I found it easy to ramp up to 12-18 mile runs within my first month. Within 3 months I started running formal Marathons. It only took a couple in the span of 2 months to find out I was damaging my right knee to the point that had to abandon running and return to the bike just so I could maintain my cardio and respiratory fitness. A feeling I have never wanted to live without.
The doctors told me my running days were over. That the cartilage in my right knee was so hammered I would be looking at a complete knee replacement in the near future.
I never believed that... I always believed there was a non-surgical solution. I instinctively knew there was a larger lesson being taught here....
I traveled the country back and forth looking for clues. I sought out all the top authorities on joints, ligaments, muscle rebalancing, stretching, nutrition, mental reprogramming, you name it....
One day decades later, after I had accepted Christ as my Savior I asked him to guide me in healing my body and restoring my health.
I had a haunting feeling that if I did not seek his counsel on this something bad was going to happen to me on the bike. I'd knew I'd been shielded by Gods grace over all those miles I'd ridden but the Lord had other plans for me and wanted me to move on.
Low and Behold... In a matter of a few weeks after I began to earnestly ask him for guidance he lead me to bare foot running of all things.
I was stunned and yet amazed as I read of how others had come from where I was and listened to the Lords promptings to shed their shoes and relearn how to walk and run the way only he could teach us. All the testimonies I read told of miraculous healings of bum knees, hips, backs, and feet! Just the opposite of what our logical minds would think!
Here I am today bare foot surfing the concrete and asphalt jungle of the Inland Empire as they call this region.
Listening to him whisper into my heart with every step I take, with regenerated knees, a pillow like foot strike, comfortably cruising across the land while burning fat mostly and feeling a breeze that I've come to know as one of the Lords kisses of approval on my life.
Always when I arrive home after having spent such precious time with my coach Jesus... I feel so blessed and at peace.....He is the source of all healing, help, hope and happiness.
Thank you Lord!
Thank you for the gift of healing this broken spirit and unraveling this body that was in bondage.
Thank you for being present in the moments of my life and all those you would have me touch in your name. Thank you for patiently waiting for me to give up my cause for yours.
Your all has ever made a difference anyway!
Lord it's only you who can "Set the Captives Free!"
John 10:10
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