Running and Clay?
During the difficult and messy times of COVID-19, I began to think about the similarities of training to run a race and the messy art of refining clay. You see, when clay is mined from the earth, it can include sand and dirt that has to be removed or the final piece will fall apart when it’s fired in the kiln.
There are different ways to refine clay but one method is to soak it in water. Then the potter squishes apart all the lumps until the grime sinks and the pure clay floats.
What a great picture of what can happen to a refined runner. Eliminate bad food, sleep and gait habits. Avoid injury, train smart and you’ll rise to the top.
If you’re like me years ago, you may be wondering how in the world to avoid injury. It’s not always possible but one important way for a runner to resist injury (and heal) is massage.
Those knots in your muscles that pull on your tendons/joints are like clay lumps needing to be squished out with the foam roller, r-8 roller, bouncy ball (for the foot muscles), therapy gun or an ART or Graston sport doctor. And you thought I was talking about relaxing massages? Those are good too! But be sure to give the rolling and ART work a try if you have stubborn aches and pains.
Another great thing to ponder is how the water separating the pure clay from the dirt is like God working in our lives.
Lumps in the clay can be like us clinging to unhealthy habits or sin that hold us back. Lumps can hide dirt but squashing the lump exposes everything to the cleansing water.
There’s a verse in Isaiah 64:8 describing God as a potter and us as the clay.
His work in our lives to separate us from the dirt and filth holding us back will allow us to rise to the top and be able to withstand those trials by fire.
Adopting a healthier lifestyle and shedding habits that hold us back can be difficult and messy but during changing times, take the opportunity to make changes you own to become stronger. What floats to the top will be the strongest version of who God created you to become.
“But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” — Isaiah 64:8 ESV
Happy Running!
