All things are possible to one who believes - Mark 9.23
The recent journey Jun and I embarked on can be summed up in one word REMARKABLE!
Our journey began a few months ago back at our Saturday morning bible study I learned from Jun Subaniaro that he as was running regularly throughout Santa Clarita on the local trails. I wanted to take my recent weight loss of 45 pounds (Story in itself) to the next level and begin a disciplined training routine. I decided to join Jun and Rich Hall who were running regularly on their own during the week and meeting on Saturday mornings to run together. There were some early freezing mornings when I did not want to get up but I had made a commitment to be there every Saturday and I was going to stick to it as best as I could. During these runs we would share some of our challenges, the Word and how God was working in our lives. It was more than just running it was fellowship.
Jun had a vision, he wanted to share the Word and create a running ministry to represent Valencia Hills Church in Califonia. He stated one of the first events we should prepare for is the L.A. Marathon. Wow! I'm thinking isn't that 26 MILES!! The Lord spoke refer to Mark 9.23.
Over the course of a few months as the marathon neared, a series of events began to challenge this group of 3 and seriously threaten our goal of just getting to the marathon let alone doing it. . Rick began having some physical challenges that limited his ability to run and then the final blow Jun seriously sprained his ankle and had informed me it was likely he would not participate as well. Jun said "It looks like your going to represent us brother" wait a minute you are the guy that's been running for years I was supposed to be supporting you in your dream not the other way around! I had my doubts especially when the furthest I had ever run was 19 miles and I struggled to accomplish that! a marathon is 26 miles. But Jun encouraged me and said "if you could run 19 miles than 26 miles is a piece of cake". In fact I am going to go with you, I will ride my bike alongside of you supporting you all the way (Unbeknowst to both of us they would not allow that) That's when I read this scripture 2 Timothy 1.7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self discipline" In the meantime Jun made up some shirts for us to wear to run in with the following scripture John 14.6 "I am the` way, and the truth, and the life" Team Jesus
As race day was fast approaching I had slipped up on my training I had thought that maybe we would focus more on the upcoming Santa Clarita Marathon in November but Jun would ask "Are you ready, are you still wanting to do this?, You don't, if you don't want to?" But I said "Yes, but my goal will be simply to finish whether it takes me all day and into the night I will finish this race!
A couple of days before race day, and Jun called me and said "I'm going to run with you bro my wife is not happy w/me but I feel I can do this. I prayed about it and asked God to heal my ankle so that I can participate". Praise God, next thing I know his ankle was fine, no pain, no swelling, and Jun and I began to fulfill his dream.
It's race day and Jun and I are amongst just under 15 thousand participants the adrenaline is pumping thru are veins and the excitement is incredible the news media is everywhere helicopters covering the event and thousands watching locally and millions watching worldwide. What do you think the odds are of running into a fellow brother in this huge crowd? Good we ran into Russ from our church who is a regular participant to these events. We encouraged each other and prepared for the start of the race. The announcement was made and we were off but why are we walking well with all of the people ahead of us it took us about two or three blocks to get to the starting line but our times are not recorded until we pass the starting mark. We have a microchip attached to our shoes to register the time we begin and throughout the course to the finish (pretty cool!)
As we crossed Jun was like a Wild Mustang who was kept in a corral for a day or two "whoa brother at this pace I won't make it past the 1st mile mark let alone 25 more!!" We kept a steady pace and shared our excitement of the event (our first marathon) and all that we were experiencing we were in the event we had talked so much about it was no longer a far fetched dream but a reality. Several bystanders would encourage us throughout our run during every stretch of the course.
Along the route we came across a group who had a "pace leader" they were about 15 people following her, with all of the excitement we had not strategized how we were going to pace ourselves so I asked the leader at their current pace when they anticipated they would cross the finish line. She said " 5.30 I joked 5:30 P.M. no she said 5 hours and 30 minutes' I asked Jun lets run alongside of them this way we only have to focus on getting there, they can do all the time management for us. As we got to the halfway point (16 miles) one of the groups runners tripped and toppled to the pavement and a couple of the team stopped to help " She yelled back "let her go she will be fine get back in formation" Jun slowed to help but some spectators were helping her so we pressed on. Jun said to me "wow she sure has a lot of compassion"
As we passed the 13 mile mark (halfway point) Jun said "we are doing great brother at this pace we will get there no doubt within 6 hours. I was encouraged but I was uncertain if I could keep the current pace. I told Jun that my thighs and calves were beginning to burn and were starting to stiffin up. We continued running and we approached the 18 mile marker I began to run out of gas at the same time we were slipping behind our pace team and as I watch them slowly fade from view I started to get a little discouraged but kept it to myself. I had said nothing to this point but I was about to ask Jun to continue on and that I was going to walk from this point on. I reasoned the furthest I had gone was 19 miles before this race and I was reaching that point. This middle age gal putting along had a shirt with an image of Jesus on her back no matter where we were, we would come across her throughout the course. Was God reminding me to focus on him? I'm serious she kept popping out of nowhere and Jun saw her too so it was not my imagination.
Then out of the blue Jun began to ask me questions to refocus on my strength (The Word) What's your favorite verse bro" I struggled to put a thought together (long pause) as I gathered a thought, I rambled a couple of verses so he knew I knew some and I paraphrased 2 Timothy 1.7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love , and of self discipline" everything I was experiencing at the moment. But I misquoted the book and mentioned 1 Corinthians (Forgive me Lord) We had been sharing our lives and fellowshipping along the way, but I had shut down for sometime to focus solely on running thanks to Jun for refocusing my thoughts. He could see I was struggling at this juncture I told him "go ahead I'll catch up with you later" he said "no way Bro we are in this together." He would not leave my side a sharp contrast to the gal and her team earlier my well being was more important to Jun than the "prize"
We had to stop to stretch and we continued on. We began to make small goals along the way let's run to that light signal and walk a short distance than pick up after that light" We were now entering uncharted territory both Jun and I had not run into the 20 mile and beyond realm before. How's are time Jun? "We can still make it Bro let's press on", We stopped for a brief moment to get sprayed with this solution that kills the pain in your legs (it worked) and we pressed on, we could now see the downtown skyline it looked so far away. I thought to myself we have to run all they way there, no way!! As we ran most of the participants in the twenty mile zone and beyond were now walking as we ran in between them. We saw several people along the way limping and sitting along the route in pain and unable to continue. I no longer felt pain but a renewed determination to reach that finish line under the 6 hour mark. After the 6 hour mark your times are not recorded.
We pressed on passed the 23 mile mark and I thought to myself we are actually going to make it and right at that moment Jun uttered "Bro I am cramping up im going to have to stop" In a brief instance I thought it was over!, well so much for that goal of finishing under 6 hours. The new goal is back to what we had originally planned and that was to just finish. Would I need to help Jun walk from this point? We were so close, so be it, whatever the outcome I am not crossing that finish line without my brother. So Jun began to stretch and massage his calves.for a minute or two and he said "I'm feeling better "Lets go" I said "Are you sure, how's the ankle? good bro let's go" I asked him "how's our time" he said "if we continue at our current pace we'll make it". I proposed let's run the final two miles all the way no stops" Jun said o.k bro, let's do it!
Those last two miles were the toughest two miles I had ever run I kept reasoning two miles that is nothing! yet those last two miles felt like 26 we were now entering the downtown area finally in the home stretch where is the finish line banner? It finally came to view it looked like it was 10 miles away, now we were amongst the crowd cheering us on "you can do it, keep going" I was sooo tempted to stop and walk a short distance but how could you do that in the final stretch suck it up, press on. In the last 20 yards before the finish I yelled to Jun "finish strong" brother "Finish strong"and we sprinted the last stretch full throttle to the finish line. An incredible rush of excitement, accomplishment filled me with emotion Thank you Lord. We did it, we made it to the finish line!!! We congratulated each other in amazement how God brought us to this point and that we had made it under 6 hours 5.49 to be exact. No blisters, no ankle pain, no chaffing, etc... Praise God we give all the glory to God without him there is no glory.
Thank you Jun for your vision, your fellowship, your determination, your encouragement, your love, your friendship and your leadership brother. Without you I would not have had this experience or these memories. It was an honor running with you Bro.
When you join a bible study or get plugged in with other brothers in Christ you never know what journey you and your brothers may embark in for the Lord's glory The Lord had a mission for Jun and I and that was to be visible Ambassadors for Christ, did you learn anything from this experience? if you did, Mission Accomplished.
I believe "All things are possible to one who believes" - Mark 9.23
All Rights Reserved Pablo Santibanez www.maxhealth-energy.com Copyright 2009
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