Believe it or not, ORB is officially 1 year old. Time has gone by so fast that it’s actually 1 week and 1 year!!! Who would have thought that 1) I would have found time to keep providing content to this website (181 posts) and 2) have enough things to write about!!!

What originally started as a place to write down the many random thoughts that passed thru my brain while running has now taken on many forms:

• Spirituality – After reading “Running the Spiritual Path” by Roger D. Joslin, I committed my time running to giving that time back to God. What better way to spend hours of solitude than sharing that time praying and meditating?
• Runner Safety – Finding myself running early in the mornings, I saw many runner’s in danger on our roadways. It has been a goal of mine to share what I’ve learned and read so that many more runner’s will be more visible while running. It went so far as Troy’s post on “Dexting” getting him interviewed in Runner’s World for Liz Robbins’ article Collision Course.
• Encouraging Others towards Fitness – With the creation of the Fargo Fitness Challenge, I’ve now embarked on another passion, encouraging others to take up running. I know what running has done for my health and if I can get one person off the coach and back into fitness, I’ll consider this one a success.

I would personally like to thank the nearly 3,500 people who have come to this site from over 50 countries and every U.S. state. To the many friends that I have met here, I’m glad that this site has been a conduit for some really great stories and friendships that span the globe.

Who knows what the future holds but if it’s anything like the last year, it’s anybody’s guess!!!

RMFR (also another thing that came about over the last year and my proudest accomplishment)

How many times have you been on a run and a car suddenly stopped before clipping you? On a hot day, has there every been a cloud that just seemed to hang out – covering the sun and keeping the temperature just a little cooler? One could dismiss these occurrences to luck or good fortune. Some might not even pay much attention or notice them at all.

Since I started meditating and praying while running, I’ve noticed these events happen more often than not. I think more often than not, we dismiss little things in life as coincidences. I have been putting much more thought into Divine intervention. While I don’t think that God is constantly making my runs as easy as possible, I do believe that he has his hand into a lot more things then we give Him credit for.

Why is it do we think that signs from God must be grandiose? The burning bush. The parting of the Red Sea. Miracles and signs that left no question to who/what they were. I think the problem is that in this day and age with our 24/7 lives, we’ve stopped paying attention. While I’m running and focusing on my breath, I try and make my senses open to all stimuli. Tuning out all mental static and listening to the silence, I’ve become more in tune with the world around me and able to bask in all of God’s creation.

On your next run, leave the iPod at home. Force yourself to focus on your breath. Fall in tune with your footfalls and tune out your worries, troubles and issues. Recite a mantra and get into a groove. Don’t worry about your pace and just listen. Listen to nothing and allow your senses to take in the world around you. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll see.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

As long distance runners, we work hard to build our endurance and strength. On race day, we have our wicking shirts, lightweight shoes and our bodies are prepared for the test that lies before us. To run the race that God has set before us, we must also strip off the excess weight that slows us down.

• Choose friends that are also committed to your race (run with the right crowd).
• Drop activities that are counter productive towards you ultimate goal.
• Get help for addictions that disable you.

It’s never too late to experience God’s grace.

If I pass you on the road somewhere be sure this prayer is being said for you.

God,
Please protect this runner from injury or harm;
help lift them up the inclines and back down again to You.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen

Titus 2:7
And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.

My run this past Saturday (well pretty much all my long runs are on this road) was on a long stretch that leads out to Red Rock Canyon. This stretch of road is well traveled by cyclists and a few runners lured by the incredible scenery and the long inclines for training. There’s a lot of of strange things you’ll see dumped on the side of the road (makes you wonder if anybody remembers the old PSA commercial on pollution).

On this particular morning, I happened upon a rubber glove on one of the road markers greeting every person that passed by. At first, I took notice and kept on going since I was almost to my turn around point. On the way back, there it was again, greeting me for the second time in all it’s unglory. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve been known to forget to raise my other fingers on occasion but never this publicly. I kept running downhill for another 100 feet before I crossed back over the road. I couldn’t let that glove stay there in it’s current state. Without having a means to transport the glove to a trash can in the middle of the desert, I decided to change its greeting.

The title of this post has nothing to do with your stride, frame or running style but with the way we should lead our lives. In Roger D. Joslin’s book “Running the Spiritual Path,” he talks about the “Mother Teresa Run.” As you run, offering blessings to everyone you meet whether they acknowledge you or not. It can be as simple as a smile or a wave or a prayer to God to see them safely on their journey. That’s what I was trying to do on my run, take something negative and turn it into something positive.

Grace is something that was gifted to us when Jesus died for our sins. As a follower of Christ, it is my responsibility and honor to lead by His example. Enjoy your run, be one with nature and love one another as He loves us.

I’ve been “running the spiritual path” now for about a month and a half. It’s changed my life. I love the quiet moments with God and being at one with my breath. It’s not only enlightening but it transforms you. You know how when you see that really inspirational movie (i.e. Rudy) and you get the chills…actual chills. I’ve attained that with spiritual running. There have been many occasions when I’ve made that connection and God has lifted me up and touched me. Some may call it a “runner’s high” or an “adrenaline high” but I see it as being touched by Him.

The point of this, is that I cheated or at least I felt that I had cheated. During my “slump” a couple of weeks ago, I headed out on a 5 mile run with my iPod. God wasn’t on my iPod – no, somebody MUCH different – Nickelback was. I honestly felt guilt going out on a run with music and apologized profusely in prayer. I needed to give it a shot. I hate to admit it, but the music was good. I had a driving force behind my pace but spiritually my run was empty. I couldn’t commit to a mantra nor could I establish any concentration towards any communication with God. Call it an epiphany or call it a sign, but I came up with a solution on that guitar mashing, profanity laden run.

The following Sunday while attending Central Christian Church here in Las Vegas (Summerlin Campus) I marched right up to the two42 Cafe and purchased all three of the First Wednesday CD’s (First Wednesday is a time when our Church worships with an hour full of inspirational music and fellowship). These are not hymns by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, there’s nothing “old school” about them at all. There’s a full drum kit, electric guitars, a bass and it’s loud!!! The only difference is the message of these songs. One’s about getting drunk and fooling around while the other celebrates and thanks our Lord.

The following day, I tried this experiment/suggestion and it hit the mark. While it may not having the speed guitars of Dragonforce or the hard driving beat of AC/DC, it surpassed any of my rock library hands down. I swear I caught myself singing a couple of times and I know I caught myself “lifting it up to God” several times. But you know what…it felt great. I felt connected and I felt I was communicating with Him the way he intended me too.

I still don’t run with an iPod that often, but when I do, I know that my time spent is going to be meaningful time well spent.

Finally finished reading Roger D. Joslin’s book, Running the Spiritual Path. I’m a slow reader. I generally drift off when I’m reading, but with this book, I reread parts because I wanted to – not because I had to. I treated it as a text book. A “guide” on how to better run in a meditative state where I could more easily be open to God and His world around us. While Mr. Joslin lays out great techniques and tips to help you on your journey, I found that when it comes right down to it – you need to do what works for you.

While Mr. Joslin runs most of his runs on trails, I run mostly on crowded streets with cars, bikes and a variety of stimuli that can make it hard to concentrate on your breath and stride. That’s the great part about it though. The harder you work to establish that connection to the Divine, the better the results.

I’ve attained the mediative “blue aura”, I’ve been able to focus on taking in God’s breath and have even held a mantra through the duration of the run. How we get there isn’t the point. It’s the willingness to try that matters. The same goes for my running philosophy. I don’t attain to be the strongest or fastest runner. To me, it’s effort, diligence and love that I have for running that matters most to me.

You may read these posts on Spiritual Running and could care less. That’s OK. But on your next run, I urge you to give it a try. The intent of your meditation does not need to be Spiritual in nature. By clearing your head and working towards quieting your soul – God will reach out to you in His way. Whether it is a strong wind, a gorgeous trail, the warmth of the sun or a smiling stranger – God is there.

“Run toward God and know that far in the distance God is running toward you.”
- Roger D. Joslin

Meditation is a whole new thing for me. I’ve never tried traditional meditation. Maybe it’s my lack of interest or my unwillingness to try but it’s never held much interest for me. Since reading “Running the Spiritual Path” by Roger D. Joslin, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ve been practicing mediation for quite a while now – I just didn’t know it.

Have you ever been on a long run and come to realize you don’t recall the last mile or so you just ran? You checked out at some point and something pulled you back to reality. In most cases, your mind gets filled with thousands of trivial thoughts that occupy your time. It’s time to harness this “time” and use it as your “meditation time”. Here are a couple tools that may help you:

Chants and Mantras
These are words or phrases that you can repeat to the rhythm of your breath and/or stride. RMFR used to be my mantra of choice but that has been shuffled to my “Running Gang Sign” and it doesn’t fit my new spiritual path. Remember that you should find a chant or mantra that fits your breathing. Let your words develop naturally to your own running rhythm.

My chant that I started using to focus on my time with God running is “He Has Risen. Saved By Grace.” When I feel my focus wavering and I need to rechannel my thoughts to my breathing or the sound of my stride, I use this chant and it brings me right back to where my thoughts need to be.

Mudras
This is funny because I didn’t know it officially had a name. Mudra is loosely defined as hand movements that accompany dance, music, chants or mantras. I can explain this using my chant. When I say each syllable, I touch a finger with my thumb. I start by touching my index finger on down to my pinky (Risen is touched on the ring finger and then the pinky). For the second part of my chant, I proceed back up my fingers back to my index finger. When I start the chant again, I do it on the other hand.

It takes a little while to get used to it but after doing it for a couple of minutes, it will become second nature. There’s a lot going on but you’ll be amazed at how focused you’ll become.

Good luck and please share your chants, mantras and mudras.

When I first started running it was all about my health and doing something I’d never think I could or would – running a marathon. That was 2006. I lost over 60 pounds and completed the Las Vegas Marathon with little scaring. After that it was all about competing. I needed a race on the calendar to keep me motivated thru the 110 degree summers of Las Vegas. Recently I’ve come to another crossroads. I haven’t felt that same fire in my gut that threw me out door day after day. I was feeling empty and needing more. That has recently changed and I think has changed my life permanently – for the better.

I’ve been thinking for some time that there was something else I could do with running. We’re out there on the roads and trails for hours on end. If you’re like me, thousands of thoughts enter my head on every subject from every angle. You’d think collectively we could have solved the worlds problems by now!!! Most of it is nonsense and I’ve always thought I could use this time for something useful and now I have. I’m using running as time to mediate, clear my head and make up for some lost time with God.

Now, I’m not a fanatic by any means but hear me out. How many times have you thought to yourself that you “don’t have the time pray.” There’s always family, work, television or some other distraction filling our lives 24 hours a day. Running is my solitude, running is my escape but I am alone no longer.

What do you say? How do you say it? There’s no formula, no rules, no ridicule or praise. There’s now a feeling of grace, comfort, belonging and a sense of purpose. Just clear your mind, open your heart and talk. It’s your time.

I’m not a pastor or priest but a runner who’s found the prayerful dimension of running. If you’d like to learn more and be inspired to take a leap of faith, check out the book “Running the Spiritual Path” by Roger D. Joslin. I’m only 4o some pages into the book and I’m hooked. I am not alone – in running or in life.

“Imagine that you are running toward God and know that far in the distance God is running toward you” – Roger D. Joslin