#5kMay2020 Blog (Day 26)

There ain’t nothin’ like waking up and waiting around until the temperature somewhat resembles the surface of the sun… and then going for your daily run. 

That was my method for today.

Believe it or not, it was intentional. 

I know that it is so much better to get out first thing in the morning, but I actually wanted to run in the heat of the day to help prepare my body for the upcoming #5kMayhem run on Saturday. Running a 5k every hour on the half-hour from 6:30am to 6:30pm will undoubtedly mean that I am running through the hottest part of the day.

Some people have been asking about my strategy. Here it is:

I plan to run moderate (30 minute) 5k’s for the first 5 hours. Then I plan to switch to half mile walk, full mile jog, half mile walk, full mile jog, walk to finish for the next 5 hours. The last two 5k’s will really depend on how I feel. If I am feeling great, I may run them. If I am feeling terrible, I may walk them. If I am just doing okay, I may keep the walk/run strategy going.

At the end of the day, I plan to reach the full 37.2 miles.

Daily Run: I ran a nice, smooth 10k at a 7:48 average pace, for a total moving time of 48 minutes and 26 seconds. It was hot, but I was fine. I did not bring water, but after about 3.1 miles, I was thinking that I should have. That probably would have made the run much more enjoyable.

Daily Bible Reading: The opening verse of chapter 8 gives us a bit of insight into the secret life of Jesus.

… Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

John 8:1, ESV

What is so interesting about this simple verse? Jesus was a creature of habit. He habitually withdrew to lonely places to pray, and one of His favorite places to pray, it seems, was the Mount of Olives.

The Mount of Olives is a nice, quiet range of hills overlooking the Temple Mount. It is between Bethany and Jerusalem. Jesus passed through this area often, and it appears that He spent a LOT of time praying in the Mount of Olives. 

Though John does not mention it by name, Matthew and Mark mention that The Garden of Gethsemane is the location for the prayers that John records Jesus praying prior to His betrayal and arrest. The Garden of Gethsemane is located within the Mount of Olives.

I vividly remember being in the Mount of Olives myself and taking the time to just be alone with God to pray. It was a serene and deeply meaningful time. This pattern of private prayer, it seems, was a regular custom for Jesus. 

As followers of Christ, I believe it would be incredibly beneficial for us to follow Him in forming these consistent patterns of prayer in our own lives.