faith...then "run" with patience

Heb 12.1:

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"

God provided all we need to understand His Word.  to "run with patience," seems a bit of an "oxymoron," as they say.  How can one "run" and be patient about it?  Simply put, "pace yourself."  The Lord has a time for everything that is and will be in our lives.  We are to "be about the Father's business," (Lk 2.49) but we are to be "patient" while He fulfills His will in our lives.  In view of that understanding, we will humbly study and compare the spiritual life with the natural life in reference to "running a race."
So, buckle up, your faith is with you and now you must put it to task.

How do you prepare for a running race?

1. Make sleep a priority. Try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night during your training. ... (Ps 4:8: I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. Pro 3:24: When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet)
2. Practice and plan. ( Lk 14.28 -For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]? )
3. Set a goal and a backup goal. " But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Mt 6.33)
4. Hydrate before and during the race.." But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst..." (Jn 4.14)
5. Stay upbeat and positive. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3.14)
6. Relax and enjoy the run. "Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion." (Eccl 5.18)
7. Start out slow. "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint." (Isa 40.31)
8. Get your doctor's go-ahead. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."  (I Cor 6.19, 20)

Pre-Race Planning

A simple strategy for the days leading up to a race is to make sure every meal has some high-carb food in it—bagel, bread, pasta, rice, cereals, fruit, etc. Your goal is to eat items that are high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein (meat, cheese), and low in fat. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (I Cor 10.31)

 

How do you breathe when running?

Bottom line: Avoid shallow chest breathing while running and focus on deep belly breathing. Breathe through both your nose and mouth, but primarily through the latter.
Wow - didn't know there were so many verses about breathing: 

• "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." (Job 33.4)

• "And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Gen 2.7)
  

• "All the while my breath [is] in me, and the spirit of God [is] in my nostrils;" (Job 27.3)

• "And when he had said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:" (Jn 20.22)

• "Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." (Ps 150.6)
  

Is it safe to run everyday?

Running every day may have some health benefits. ... How many days it's safe for you to run each week depends on your goals and physical fitness levels. Scheduling days for cross training, strength training, and rest should be part of your training plan. They may make you a stronger and healthier runner overall.

• "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." (Ps 4.8)

• "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Eph 6.11)

• "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil 4.13)

Simply stated, "running a race is not for the faint of heart."  It is possible to not only run but win when one is prepared.  Of course, this is a spiritual as well as a natural application.

Are you running this race well?