So We Did This Thing.
I did this thing.
My family did this thing. This group of people, we did this thing. God did this thing, truly.
This summer, I went to a conference and meet with a couple book publishers. I came home, took the publishers feedback and blog reader feedback, and tweeked my ideas a bit into a 7-week online faith and fitness program called Faithful Finish Lines. This Fall we decided to give this program a test run, a Beta Test we called it. I was hoping for 5 or 10 people to try this out with me. Thirty-five people from all across the country signed up. It was incredible! We had people in the program ranging in age from 13 to 78. My dear friend Jill, who is a personal trainer, and has also lost 100 lbs, came on board with me. Each person set their own fitness goal, and away we went. This was exciting and pretty much all out terrifying, as any personal endeavor of throwing your dreams out into the world can be.
And oh yeah, my family — bless their mother-what-are-you-doing-to-me hearts — was coming along for the ride. They were all in with clean eating and a family 5K.
Faithful Finish Lines Beta Test
The program ran November 3-December 20. Can you imagine a more difficult time to try a healthy lifestyle program? These people are absolutely rock stars!!!
Here are some of the goals we set:
- Participate in a 5K
- Walk a 5K at the park with my family
- Walk the whole mall
- Swim a half mile
- Walk a mile
- Tread water for 30 minutes
- Do 100 crunches and push ups
- Run a 1/2 Marathon
- Run a 10K
- Do a Triathlon at the Gym
These are the Faith and Healthy Eating Focuses we worked toward each week:
Week 1: Faithful Finish Lines are God-Given.
Week 1 Eating for Energy: Focus on Journaling
Week 2: Faithful Finish Lines have a simple, measurable Plan.
Week 2 Eating for Energy: Focus on Fruits and Vegetables
Week 3: Faithful Finish Lines include Mission and Fun!
Week 3 Eating for Energy: Focus on Protein
Week 4: Faithful Finish Lines balance with Family priorities.
Week 4 Eating for Energy: Focus on Healthy Beverages
Week 5: Faithful Finish Lines promote Eating for Energy.
Week 5 Eating for Energy: Focus on Whole Grains & Foods Low in Sugar
Week 6: Faithful Finish Lines focus on the Reward!
Week 6 Eating for Energy: Focus on Whole, Unprocessed Foods
Week 7: Faithful Finish Lines have a Rhythm of Running and Resting.
Week 7 Eating for Energy: Focus on Planning Ahead for Success
Were we perfect? Good heavens, no! We allowed ourselves lots and lots of grace! This program is all about grace, and all about finding your own personal measure of success, and reaching toward the next positive step. Look at some of these amazing successes below. Every person could tell you about all kinds of fumbles, mess ups, and oopes we had along the way.
But we KEPT GOING! We did not allow our slip ups to stop us!
John & Jill, The Csillag 5K
Denise 3, The Reindeer Run
Sharon J, The Electric Snow Globe 5K
Heather C, Jingle Bell 5K
Michele’s Mall Obstacle Course Walk
Borgstede 5K
Melanie, an honorary Borgstede for the day!
Zack with his medal
Paul really wanted a medal for his efforts — Dad came through!
The Borgstede 5K finisher’s medal
Faithful Finish Lines 2014
Betty joined us virtually on a walking track in MN.
With her Denver shirt…
Victory! 45 laps around the small indoor track. That’s dedication!
We celebrated with pancakes after. Yes!
Miranda’s miracle mile
Keep Calm and Run On near Kansas City
Chris D, finish line victory
Superstar!
More events are scheduled, too!
Here is what I love about these pictures, and what moves me to tears when I look at them. There are no 5 minute miles being run here. Many of us would be lucky to get in a 15 minute mile or to run at all.
The day our family was at the park for our 5K, it was chilly and the sky was gray. There we were a group of 10 people, 2 dogs, and there was the juggle of hats, water bottles, and bathroom trip negotiations. Throw in a side of kid complaining. The two people with the most training were the retirees (and perhaps the dogs). No one would pick us out of the crowd as rock star athletes.
We are just people, doing this thing.
It feels so-much-less-than-good-enough.
Not fast enough. Not fancy enough. Not elite enough, and certainly not mistake-free-enough.
And yet, isn’t the so-much-less-than-good-enough…exactly what makes it radically inspiring?
Isn’t in the not-fast, the not-fancy, the not-elite, the mistake-filled, that makes us think, perhaps…I can do it too?
To me, this is the heart of the Christmas message. The God of the Universe, the King who had everything — the King of Kings and Lord of Lords humbled himself to become a baby, born in a stable and laid in a manger. He took on the most lowly to show us He gets us. Not because He had to, but because He wanted to. Because of Love.
“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
Luke 2:6-7
Will you consider joining our Faithful Finish Lines program in this New Year of 2015? We have a spot ready just for you and a variety of membership plans available. If now is your time to renew your faith and fitness commitment, this is the program for you! Come see what we are all about at www.faithfulfinishlines.com.
Click here to join our email list. Inspiration, tips, and help to your inbox a couple times per week!
This is so well-said! I wish I’d said it myself. God has truly used you and Jill and this wonderful program to get me on a lifetime track of healthier eating, exercising, and living! Love it! I’m a lifer!