Basically, Run.

It’s no secret that in the past year, I’ve discovered Doctor Who and gotten slightly obsessed. Nor is it a secret that in the past year, I’ve also discovered running. And also gotten a teensy bit obsessed.

So when a former supervisor of mine, Michele (the awesome, energetic, marathon-finishing lady who inspired me to run in the first place), told me about the Doctor Who 50^th Anniversary Virtual Run, I had to sign up, because that’s the best combination of any two things I’ve heard of.

Really, Doctor Who and running go together like peas and carrots. Peanut butter and jelly. Pancakes and veggie sausage. The show could sort of be summed up like this: a regenerating alien takes attractive female companions through time and space, rescues people, saves planets, spits out loveable catchphrases, and runs a whole lot.

So, yeah. I didn’t know what a virtual run was, but of course I signed up. Turns out it operates on an honor system. You do the race on your own time, then e-mail your results to the race coordinator. The proceeds go to help victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, and you get a sweet medal with the Tardis on it!

The air was a lot cooler Tuesday afternoon- it actually felt like fall!- so I took the opportunity to do my 5K then. I put on my Tardis t-shirt (yes, I have one, don’t judge), pinned on my bib, and headed to the track.

Allons-y!

I mentioned in a recent post about how I’ve somehow managed to improve my endurance to running 2-miles nonstop. Well, somewhere in the middle of the second mile of this solo 5K, I got the crazy idea to not stop to walk after the end of two miles. I decided to make myself keep running, no matter how much it hurt.

Maybe it was the cooler weather. Maybe it was the overall spirit of Doctor Who and having The Eleventh Doctor’s Theme, "I Am The Doctor", blaring in my ears (yes, I downloaded the show’s soundtrack and made a running playlist. Stop judging me!). Or maybe it was the fact that I’m 2 pounds lighter after my haircut. I don’t know. But whatever it was, it worked.

I ran the entire 3.1 miles.

No stopping. No walking breaks. Just an awful lot of running.

My time was exactly 33:00, a new PR for me.

Now, those last eleven minutes were not pretty. My arms were flailing about so much I accidentally ripped my bib.

The last five minutes were agony. I had a terribly sharp side cramp. I shed a tear or two. I gasped several prayers and quoted the latter part of Isaiah 40 over and over again. They will run and not grow weary.

I wanted to quit. Instead, I prayed for the Lord to give me the strength and determination to keep running. And I don’t know why the Creator of the universe would care about little ol’ me finishing a 3.1 mile run all by myself on a quiet cement track in late September, but evidently, He did. Because as I prayed, I felt the strength to go on.

Running a 5K nonstop is like…Bucket List big for me. I genuinely didn’t think it was possible. I mean, just last year, I couldn’t run longer than thirty seconds without stopping to catch my breath. Now I’m running steady for thirty-three minutes?!?

How?

I feel like this happened at the perfect time. My first 3.1 miles during the Doctor Who run, of all runs. It's like God gave me the opportunity and ability to do this at just the right moment, just for my own amusement and enjoyment. And I love that. I love that He cares that much about me. I love that the God of the universe permeates our tiny, little lives with His love. 

"What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows." 

                     - Matthew 10:29-31