The Epiphany

Did you know that The Magi who followed the Star of Bethlehem traveled an exceptionally long distance to pay homage to the baby Jesus? Some theorists said that they journeyed about 1,000 to 1,200 miles. Talk about endurance and long distance. That, by early Roman Empire standards and even modern categories, is incredibly far.

In training, runners can cover that mileage over a period of time, but not without battling pain and overcoming bad days. There’s tremendous adversity to handle to complete a certain mileage to be able to successfully finish a race. It changes the life of a person so much so that it is said that, “The person who starts a race is not the same person who finishes the race.”

In a similar way, I think The Magi who traveled an ultra-long distance, were transformed. Even more so, upon seeing the star and seeing the child Jesus, they were never the same again. It was the Epiphany of the Lord to The Magi and to the world. God shone the Star of Bethlehem and led them to their Lord and Savior.

NO U-TURN. Once you see the light of
the Lord, it makes a difference in your
life that you never want to go back
to your old ways.

This past Christmas, after another year of journeying life without my wife, I think I finally saw the star in the sky. With lots of praying and prayers from you, I was enlightened to see the joy of living in the present and leaving the past behind. My grieving may not get “done”, but my current situation can have a good outcome. All of us had troubled days, but those are now past and gone. God’s star “over the place where the child Jesus was” will bring us joy and hope for a renewed life.

Now the Magi, “having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, departed for their country by another way.” (Matthew 2:12). The Magi, though they were instructed by Herod to return upon seeing the Child, did not go back to Herod. Once you see the light of the Lord, it makes a difference in your life that you never want to go back to your old ways. When God shines His light to you, you will be filled with grace so much so that there’s no u-turning anymore. Onward forward ahead!

God speed!

Muddling Through

A verse in the Christmas song, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," struck a chord in me...

Through the years we all will be together, If the fates allow; Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow; And have yourself a Merry Little Christmas now.

Muddling through was what I pretty much did in the marathon I ran December 2nd this year in Sacramento, CA. It was by far the stormiest running in the 30 years of the race, the California International Marathon (CIM). Gusty winds blowing in every direction and inches of rain pouring down on the course. Broken branches strewn on the soaking pavement of running water and silt. As puddled and mired the course became, I and a whole lot of runners muddled through the race somehow.

T'was just like how I managed this Christmas and the year 2012 that was - a full year without my wife. Although the storms in my life were not as epic as the CIM's storm, some of them were turbulent enough to blow my emotional state to pieces. I just miss her terribly as I learn to live my life without her. And that is all there is to it. Until that day we are reunited in God's eternal place for us, keeping her memory alive in my runs, praying for other people's intentions, and living each moment with love like she did, I will get through for sure!

So next year, my prayer runs will go on and hopefully, more of my "reflections on the road" posted a lot more often. You can help me by "liking" my PrayingRunner Facebook Page, http://www.facebook.com/prayingrunner and sharing it on yours.

Thank you and God speed!

Running and Grieving

What's the similarity? They're both difficult during Winter/Christmas time.

I've ran for thousands of miles through the years but I still have a running slump every winter time. I'm 9 months old into the grieving process and it still sucks, most especially now at Christmas time. I miss my wife terribly.

I know one thing for sure. The only way I could overcome the difficulty is to go through them. There is no other way to get out of the running rut but to get out there and run. I need to get over the winter lethargy and the frosty weather. And as for missing my beloved wife, the only way towards my healing is to go through the painful stages to transform my grief into a growth experience.

I like to request for your prayers to help me get through these tough times. I am having a hard time without my wife to feel the spirit of Christmas joy as well as the joy of running. I need to regain the strength to enthusiastically run and pray for other people. After all, inspired by my wife, I strive to be a Praying Runner. But today, I wear my vulnerability like a cross around me. Please pray for me to find peace, joy, and strength this Christmas.

P.S. Update:  I ran 15 miles today. I prayed for my own special intention and for a dear family friend - Fred V., who passed away December 16th after battling cancer.  He showed our family the most sympathetic support like no other during my wife's battle.  I am glad I got to talk to you three weeks ago. Please say hello to my wife up in heaven.

Be Watchful

During the late fall and winter season, the sun down catches me still on the road running. This is when I'm extra alert and mindful of my surroundings when I run. When it's dark on the busy roads, I can never be too careful with watching my steps and crossing the street and just being super watchful.

As we start the Christmas season, the Gospel reading on the First Sunday of Advent reminds us of the need for watchfulness. Nobody knows when the time or our time will come. So, the Gospel emphasizes the need to be prepared. And there is no better time to prepare our hearts for Christ's coming than this Christmas season.

One way you could prepare yourself is to find God's presence in everything you do. Running can help you become more mindful of God's presence. For example, while running, pray the rosary, repeat your favorite Bible verse as you breath in and out, ponder on your blessings for the days, or pray for someone you love today. And when extraneous thoughts or road hazards distract you, return to your prayerful mode - remind yourself of God's presence in everything. This is what really means to be watchful.

This Christmas, I am dedicating all my runs in prayer for you and your special intentions. I also offer my runs in loving memory of my wife who I am missing so painfully this Christmas season. You can support me by praying for me as well. And if you are so inspired, do a prayer run, too.

So, on this First Sunday of Advent, I am happy to offer you my Christmas gift of prayer...

Are You Ready?

"Failure to prepare is preparing to fail."  It's a famous quote by John Wooden (1910-2010), an NCAA basketball coach who won an unprecedented 10 national championships for UCLA.  It applies to the sport of running, too.  As a matter of fact, it applies to any sport.  However, I think it hits a beat particularly for running races; and I can speak for the marathon race.  After having run 21 marathons, I have developed a routine for long-term and short-term preparation.  The long term involves the running workouts and the diet.  The short-term covers the little details of bringing the right number of carbohydrate gels, pinning my bib on my running shirt the night before, attaching the timing chip, and remembering to press start on my stopwatch when I cross the start mat, etc.  One can never over-prepare for such an important event as a marathon race.