Fuel Up

Fuel Up

We’ve been discussing “fuel,” the importance of feeding our bodies and spirits with the right foods, being well fed and nourished for the race. We have seen that monitoring our consumption is vital, but the timing of our intake is also important. The word fuel is familiar because we make regular trips to the gas station. A car’s fuel supply only lasts for a limited number of miles. So when the dashboard gauge tells us the tank is almost empty, we drive to the station and fill it again.

We also understand the importance of fueling up on a regular basis physically. Imagine someone going to the local all-you-can-eat buffet, pigging out, and then announcing, “Well, that ought to hold me over for another week!” Not a healthy choice—our bodies weren’t meant to operate that way. Instead, we take daily, scheduled breaks to eat. Usually that means breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Runners know that they need to refuel as they go, especially during a long-distance race—those aid stations are regularly spaced for a reason. We don’t drink a gallon of water at the beginning of the marathon and think that’ll take care of our hydration needs. (We’d sure slosh around when we tried to run.)

So why do we think we can get away with that approach to spiritual fuel? Some people attend church twice a year—on Christmas and Easter—and think that’s all they need. Even people who worship almost every weekend can make the mistake of thinking one service will take care of them for the week. We need daily nourishment.

David certainly knew this. Listen to the words of his song of praise: “Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves” (1 Chronicles 16:23).

And the psalm writer adds, “Each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life” (Psalm 42:8).

Did you catch that? “Each day proclaim the good news,” “each night” sing songs and pray.

The Runner

Now in her thirties, Pilar has gone to church for as long as she can remember. For Sunday school, she dutifully memorized Bible verses, the Ten Commandments, books of the Bible, and the Lord’s Prayer. The easiest of those was the Lord’s Prayer because the congregation repeated it together in almost every worship service. So Pilar would recite it along with everyone else, with eyes closed, of course, but not really think much about what she was “praying.” But that all changed when the pastor began preaching through Matthew 6:9-13. One Sunday in particular stands out to Pilar—when the sermon highlighted the phrase “give us this day our daily bread.” He also turned to Luke 11:3 and read from the New Living Translation: “Give us each day the food we need.”

Pilar figured she knew what that phrase meant until the pastor said something like, “Bread, as we usually quote from the King James Version, refers to food in general, but it can also mean spiritual food. Also, the Greek word translated ‘daily’ is an unusual word that occurs only in this prayer in these two places in the New Testament. Using this word reveals that God provides daily food, so believers do not need to worry from one day to the next. We cannot store it up and then cut off communication with God. And we dare not be self-satisfied. Instead, we should continually depend on God, day to day.”

After that, Pilar knew what she had to do. She went home, found her Bible and a blank notebook to use as a journal, and put them on the coffee table in the living room. Then she prayed, “Father, please give me each day the spiritual nourishment I need. From now on, I will begin each morning with you. Feed me.”

The Race

Pilar had discovered how to fuel up for her race.

Jeremiah also learned this lesson. He is called the weeping prophet because he had to continually give bad news about his beloved nation to the king and the people—what a tough marathon! Yet Jeremiah faithfully served God through it all. Tucked away in his book Lamentations, Jeremiah wrote the following lines that you probably remember from a classic hymn: “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lamentations 3:23). Despite all his troubles and trials, Jeremiah could daily thank God for being for him and with him. The fuel of God’s presence and power gave him strength and courage to keep going.

The Result

God supplies “daily food” as we spend time with him. He is faithful and will supply nourishment “afresh”—but you will need to take it in. Every day feast on his Word, tell him your needs, listen, worship, and declare the Good News. Fuel up . . . and keep running.

My Story

The more years I devote to running, the more adept I become at dressing appropriately for my runs as dictated by changes in the weather or the type of surface on which I’m running. As the heat of summer subsides, I find myself putting away the shorts and the tank tops in favor of running tights and long-sleeve Dri-Fit shirts. I also don a cap with a built-in flashlight on those afternoons when the sun goes to bed by four o’clock. As winter approaches, the fleece comes out of the closet, along with the Yaktrax for icy trail running and perhaps even a face mask to protect my skin from the bitter cold.

This cycle of changing running gear reminds me of how often life can change and how God helps us adjust to the changes. Some life changes are positive, but others, such as the death of a loved one, financial pressures, illness, and job loss, are not so welcome. Despite life’s ups and downs, I am comforted when I remember that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. While I’m out there running ragged trying to cope with the curves in the road and the rocky trails, I am blessed to know I can lean on the one who always travels the same road and is right there beside me no matter how high the mountain or low the valley.

Becky B.

Think It Through

1. What food and drink do you take to help you in long runs and races?

2. Where do you usually obtain your spiritual fuel? How often do you use those resources?

3. How have your spiritual “feeding habits” changed over the past few years?

4. What can you do on a daily basis to fuel up spiritually?

On Running

Meal Timing

PRE-EXERCISE MEAL:

Eat three to five hours beforehand. The amount doesn’t really matter; you don’t want an insulin response before running (three to ten minutes before will cause an insulin response). The food you eat, specifically carbohydrates, replenishes your glycogen stores in your muscles so you have the energy you need to run. You don’t want to experiment with when you eat your meal, or what you eat, right before a race or competition—stick with what you know. Experiment only during training.

DURING EXERCISE:

Taking carbohydrate solutions for workouts less than sixty minutes is not very beneficial. For longer events, take some type of carbohydrate solution every fifteen minutes.

AFTER EXERCISE:

The first two hours are crucial. Within the first four hours, consume 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight for glycogen replenishment. Sports drinks and gels are very beneficial. A small amount of protein with carbohydrates will help glycogen replenishment even more. High amounts of carbohydrates produce more power than low amounts over weeks of training.