Running Big Sur… well, kind of…

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4:10-11

This could have been my key verse for running for Ishimwe Center. It’s actually what I put forward to my 10th grade World History class. Use your talents, whatever they are for the glory of the Lord! We are each given multiple talents and scripture is clear in its command to do so. What are your talents? Big or small, God wants to use them! How? Start by praying about how God might use you. Don’t tell Christ how He should use you, but rather listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Maybe just ask for an opportunity that you might have overlooked or missed. Then see God open doors for you. Be humble in asking. I will never be a world class runner, or even terribly competitive, but He can use me with each step of that 26 miles in advancing the kingdom of Christ!

Last year was the year of the Tiger? Tom (le Tigre’ to some) and I enjoyed two races together. The first was the Wharf to Wharf with Amy (see earlier blog from July), and the second was the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay http://www.bigsurhalfmarathon.org/ . This year I ran the Big Sur Half without my wonderful daughter Amy or my trusty, not rusty, friend on Sunday, Nov. 14 (paint a sad face on John here). I used this as (a) my weekly long run, (b) a tempo run and 3) a fun run. It worked great for all three and was completed with a finishing time of 1 hr 56 min. 33 sec.! Yahoo! ...and yes, those 33 sconds count! :)


The Big Sur Half is both a beautiful course and a very well organized race. With the exception of having to pick up your race packets the day before (not very time and energy efficient… not green at all), and the start time of 7am (which means leaving San Jose at 4:45am!), the race is a favorite. The pre-race Expo is well organized and well staffed for bib and t-shirt pickup as well as cruising through the vendors for running ‘stuff’. On race day the organizers have plenty of port-o-potties, sweats’ bag drop-off, signage and uses starting corrals to control crowds of runners on the course. The start is staggered by using the corrals, grouping runners by estimated finish time. I never felt overwhelmed with bodies crushing me and hampering me from running during the entire race.

The course is spectacular starting on Del Monte Ave (near the Monterey Wharf), then runs around the Dennis the Menace Park, through downtown Monterey and through ‘the tunnel’. As we emerged from the tunnel there was a bagpiper playing! No wonder I like this run!! The course turns and runs down Cannery Row, past The Monterey Bay Aquarium http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/ (check out their cool web cams), then continues down the coast road until we reach Pacific Grove where we run up a hill through their downtown, eventually running past Lovers Point, and heading down the coast road once again past breaking waves, and amazingly blue sky against an even bluer ocean. This part of the course matches the “Together With Love 10k” that Amy and I have run mid February in years past (Tip: this is great run for a tune up race early in the year). The course continues along the coast past the lighthouse and down the coast to just past the Asilomar State Beach and Conference Center http://www.visitasilomar.com/ where the course turns around and heads back up the coast to Pacific Grove, then on to the finish at Custom House Plaza in Monterey.

Along the way are entertainments such as garage bands, New Orleans Jazz, Monterey Brass, Taiko drums (Taiko in Japanese means drum or great drum, so ‘great drum drums’ entertain you). One of my favorites was this guy playing an upright piano in the back of his pickup truck. It was parked very near Toasties Restaurant in Pacific Grove. All of the entertainers were well received by the runners! This race even encourages you to BYOB. Yup, Bring Your Own Bottle (not THAT kind of bottle!).

Instead of using thousands of small paper cups for water stops, this race has a special filling station at the turnaround point. Great idea! After finishing and catching your breath, you can stop and take a ‘Finisher’s Photo’, and there’s a post run party in a nearby plaza with a rock band, food, massage, water, beer, sweats bag pick-up, etc. A new add this year was a computer set-up that allowed you to type in your bib number and see ‘instantly’ what your time was. Then on to lunch with friends Tom & Shelly! Next year Tiger!
Happy Running! - John

I am grateful for crisp fall running weather!
I am grateful for God’s blessing on my friend’s families!
I am grateful for technologies that help spread the Gospel!
I am grateful for the Holy Spirit’s prompting in my life!
I am grateful for the Godly men and women who stand for Christ!