It's Time to Attack!

Nashville has this amazing park inside the city called Percy Warner Park.  It’s big and beautiful… I’ve been told it’s the second largest city park next to Central Park in New York.  Much like Central Park, Percy Warner has miles and miles of trails and roads that are perfect for running.  Perfect, that is, except for the hills!  To the naked eye these are beautiful, lush, rolling hills.  But these aren’t just pretty little hills.  They are MONSTER hills!

When I was training for my first 1/2 marathon my training schedule included some nice long runs in none other than Percy Warner.  I was terrified of those hills so I asked one of my co-workers, who was a pretty impressive distance runner, for some advice.  He summed it up in a few short words… “Keep your head down and attack!”.

His advice was dead on and frankly it’s the only thing that keeps me running hills today.

By keeping my head down, I stay focused.  I breath deeply and consistently.  I become less anxious about what’s ahead.

When I am looking up at that big daunting hill, I become overwhelmed by the fear that I just can’t make it.  It’s never gonna end.  I have to give up.

And choosing to attack it gives me a mental kick-in-the-pants to stay with it.  Do not give up.  I can do this!

I’ve recently been facing a decision that feels like a monster hill.  In fact, I’ve been doing everything I can to go around this hill rather than attack it.

I’ve been stalled out at the bottom of it and it’s been looking more and more insurmountable.  I’ve allowed fear to hold me back.  I’ve been looking up and around so much that I’ve lost focus.

As I was on my morning run today tackling another hill I heard my friend’s voice reminding me “keep your head down and attack”, and while that wasn’t a new idea for the physical hill I was attacking, it was a reminder that it’s time for me to “keep my head down an attack” this other hill in my life.

Do you have a monster hill your facing?  Maybe it’s a tough decision… maybe it’s taking a big risk… maybe it’s starting something you’ve always dreamed of doing but have been too afraid to start.

Perhaps it’s time to stop looking at that hill and begin attacking it.

Keep your head down – block out the noise, distraction and other voices.  If you’re confident this is the direction God has called you to, it’s time to focus.

Attack! – put one step in front of the other and keep moving.  You’ll be on the other side before you know it.