Pressing through those headwinds. By Richard Pidgley

PRESSING THROUGH THOSE HEADWINDS After having an issue with my leg and having treatment the consultant instructed me that is was ‘No running’ for at least two or three weeks! Every runner hates being on the bench but we also know returning too soon to what we love to do can be a disaster and recipe for further injury. Whilst on the bench I used my would be running time productively by re-reading ‘The Purpose Driven Church’ by Pastor and author Rick Warren and then three weeks after seeing the consultant I decided it was time to run again… And would you believe it, my comeback to running coincided with a few days of really bad weather as ‘Storm Barra’ hit the U.K. bringing destructive and lethal headwinds over the last few days causing both damage to property and sadly loss of life. Although I feel like I could run more regularly and further, I have so far only run three times resting in between days and limited myself just to 5k distances as I don’t want any more issues with my leg. Patience is something that runners in rehab have to learn, sometimes in the day to day busyness of our lives we fail to be patient as we want everything now but preferably yesterday! The Apostle Paul said we prove ourselves by our purity, understanding, kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us and our sincere love (2 Corinthians 6.6) and into that mix of outstanding qualities he also mentions ‘patience’ - Patience is often formed in the crucible of tribulation (Romans 5:3), tough seasons should not be avoided as they bring out the best in us. GOD WOULD RATHER SACRIFICE YOUR COMFORT IN ORDER TO DEVELOP YOUR CHARACTER! Anyhow back to running! So I was up and out running my 5k route this morning just after 5 am. The rain had stopped but the wind was still blowing powerfully as I ran up the ‘Rollercoaster’, a road with at least four hills. The headwind in my face was literally breathtaking, to regulate my breathing I had to lean into the wind and turn my head sideways to breath in and out. Headwinds can be punishing as they cause both your legs and your lungs to put in so much more effort. Headwinds also test your mental strength as your pace drops as you come against a seeming invisible and invincible foe and often runners feel like giving up. HOW TO FACE HEADWINDS WHEN RUNNING: Here are some important things to remember…. * Running in the wind is a part of running in the great outdoors * It’s the extra effort you put in that really counts, not just your pace * The more you run into headwinds the stronger runner you will become * Headwinds are often followed by helpful tailwinds (depending on your route!) Also when facing strong headwinds it is also helpful to… * Lean into the wind which helps to reduce energy loss * Wear tight-fitting running clothing which helps to reduce drag * Get your breath back through turning you face sidewards or even modify your route to take in buildings or tree lined trails which can help to shield you from the wind * Shorten your stride – the longer your feet are off the ground, the more they’re resisting the wind. RUNNING INTO THE WIND IS PART OF RUNNING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS! - DON’T LOOK TO AVOID IT, BUT LEAN INTO IT TO REDUCE YOUR ENERGY LOSS ANS THEN LET THE EXPERIENCE MAKE YOU STRONGER… Anyhow back to my running story, the early morning headwind was certainly testing my mental strength as my pace was dropping as I came against this powerful, invisible and seeming invincible foe and for a moment half way up one of the hills I felt like giving up. Yes giving up seemed the easy choice as the mighty headwind screamed in my face, to give in and turn back was an option for me in my runners rehab season - but the words of the Apostle Paul rose up with me giving me mighty inner courage and strength…. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13–14) Headwinds come to us all in different ways, some are spiritual, physical, mental, financial and emotional, they are tough, they are cruel and feel invincible and yet they can be overcome by patience, determination, courage and faith. The Bible make its resoundingly clear that the child of God who has faith in Christ is destined to overcome all these things. Despite all these things, (headwinds) overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans 8:37) If the Apostle Paul could put up with all the discomforts of his mission journeys, the criticisms, the beatings, stonings, being thrown into jail and even being shipwrecked and still break through his ‘headwinds’ in order to strain toward what was ahead, so can you and I. Paul had something glorious to ‘press into’, it was the life of victory given to him by Christ, it was the hope of Heaven calling him onwards and upwards through all the storms of life. We may live in a different day and culture to the Apostle Paul and our ‘Headwind’s’ may feel and look different to his, but let me encourage you today to press on toward the prize that is yours in Christ Jesus!

Thanks for the piece Richard Pidgley