23 Aug, 2006
Runner driven to help storm victims finishes 51-race trek
Every day, when the pounding on his knees was over, Sam Thompson slid his withering body into a bathtub full of ice cubes.
It kept the swelling down.
Which had helped a lot by Saturday, when the 25-year-old Vicksburg native finished running his 51st marathon in 50 days.
Really. And in four hours and nine minutes.
Between July 1 and Saturday, Thompson ran a marathon in every state, and added one a couple weeks ago in Washington, D.C., just for fun. He ran two marathons that day.
"He's a totally normal guy," said Kirsten Sellereit, Thompson's girlfriend and a registered dietitian who has been with him during his trip.
"He's just very driven. He's got a great deal of passion and intensity."
Thompson says he did it all to raise awareness of the plight of his fellow Mississippians who were hurt by Hurricane Katrina.
Along the way, his story was told in newspapers and on television stations across the country. He is ecstatic about that.
His knees cannot be so happy.
Sellereit said Thompson has had some pain in his knees but is otherwise healthy.
"He hasn't lost a pound," she said, noting that his calorie and fluid intake is closely watched.
She said he went through 11 pairs of shoes during his 1,300-mile journey.
photo courtesy 50in50in50.com & story clarionledger.com, 8/20/06
You think you're tired?
What does today's God's Story teach us about His strength?
Let's start by thinking some more about Sam Thompson, the 50 in 50 in 50 marathon guy. Unbelievable! I'm a casual runner. I need exercise, so I run a marathon per week (but I split it up by doing 5 miles a day and even then I'm really tired!).
Yesterday, I talked to friends who run marathons (for real) and they can't imagine running one a day, for 50 days, in 50 states! They said the physical, mental and emotional exhaustion of doing this feat (and killing the feet) borders on the impossible!
Isn't this how life often feels? We feel like we can't possibly go on. We are so tired of trying to keep our spiritual lives together in the middle of every other life challenge, we want to quit...and then life gets even more difficult!
No matter how tired and weak we feel, God's strength and power never change. God is always the ultimate and perfect source for the strength we need.
How do we get this strength? Trust the Lord. If you believe that God loves you and has your best in mind, then be confident in His promises to strengthen you to keep going, one step at a time. Even when our faith is weak and our feelings are unreliable, remember that God is in control and His power and grace will be enough for us, according to His time and plans, which are always perfect.
If you have ever seen an eagle fly, it's no wonder that Isaiah uses this incredible picture to help us understand what it means to regroup with God. He promises to make us strong again and give us His perspective and direction!
How do we connect today's God's Story to our lives?
- Call a "timeout" right now and pray. Talk to Jesus about whatever is making you wonder if you can keep going. Reflect on the words of Isaiah......now just wait on the Lord.....be quiet in His Spirit and listen.....thank Jesus for God's strength and direction.
- Besides your time in DAILYBIDE, take at least two other "timeouts" every day, just to spend time talking with Jesus.
- Remember that life is a marathon, not a sprint. So, keep a written journal about what Jesus is teaching you as you let Him pace you every day.
- To help you "wait" on the Lord, memorize today's scripture.
- Use a picture of an eagle for your computer screen or place one in your room as a reminder of how God will renew your strength.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story and our story to others?
- Every day, pray for Jesus to help you recognize when your friends and family are "tired", so that you can encourage them with God's strength.
- Ask questions. Get beyond "How ya doing?" If they sense that you are really interested and care, they may talk about being tired of work, stress, relationships, a bad habit, feeling confused about the future...
- In that moment, trust Jesus to lead you to share just the right amount of your story which includes how God gives you strength.
- Whenever you hear someone use the words "run" or "running", use today's story about the 50 marathon guy as a conversation starter to learn more about their story.
- Tell a running friend about today's story by directing them to Sam Thompson's web site: 50in50in50.com
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