Mark Wilkerson’s Blog

March 25, 2010

March 25, 2010

Spiritual Prep

Downstairs in the lobby of our building is a sign that clicks off the seconds, minutes, hours and days till the race.  Couldn’t help notice that it was on 43 days this morning.  Drew me back to a book, “The Purpose Driven Life”, by Rick Warren, a best seller.  One aspect of the book is a 40 day principle.  Warren shows how God used this 40 day period a lot, to prepare people for his service.   As I look at that sign,  I will consider each day as we count down the last 40 days, how we are all being prepared and maybe transformed in our lives by this event and participation.

Ephesians 1:11 (Msg) “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.  Long before we first heard of Christ,…he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone”.       He is working it out for the Haitians and He is doing part of that through you and me.

Training Prep

Still feeling the head cold.  Did 5 miles of quarter mile intervals at lunch today. Started off at a 10 min mile pace and worked up by a mile and a half mph pace.  Got to going really fast.  Treadmills are great for this type of workout.   Felt really good.  I was surprised.  Starting to wonder how I will train when I am in Haiti.  Tomorrow is a REST day.  However, I am starting to tell the stamina is building so I really hate to take off but got to rest the old body so it can rebuild some.

March 24, 2010

Spiritual Prep

I am sick.  I have a cold and it seems to be getting worse.  I forgot and left the antihistamine at work so I won’t be taking the medicine to help me sleep good.  That draws my thoughts to how convenient it is to go and just get some medicine at the store. Doesn’t really cost much either and it is so helpful for our rest and comfort.  Medicine is really hard to come by in Haiti.  People can’t just go to the store on the corner and get medicine to give them comfort.   There are sick and wounded in Haiti who will not feel the touch of care and concern unless compassionate people go to their aid–Luke 9:2  “and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

Training Prep

Even though the cold is getting worse, it does help to exercise and keep up the work.  Had a long day and meetings till 8pm but was on the bike and riding by 8:30.  Not sure how far I went but know that I went about an 1 hour and 45 minutes at a 125 heart rate average.  Not a tough work out, just long.  Interesting thing about preparing for a long race.  The body needs to know how long it is going to work and it will adjust.  One of the purposes for the longer training session is to get your body ready for the length of work necessary.  If my pace is to run say 3 miles every other day, my body knows just when to hurt and say, I am at the finish time.  When you stretch it longer to say 5 miles, after a few sessions you body will fly by the 3 mile mark but start to tell you when you are close to the 5 miles.  Amazing how our body and mind work together.

We are a week away from leaving for Haiti.  Please keep our effort in your prayers

March 24, 2010

Spiritual Prep

Romans 6:9-10 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers”.

Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere.   One half of the people live in absolute poverty earning less than a dollar a day and have no access to clean water.   Everyone adapts to their environment and finds ways to survive.  At least that is how it is when resources are available to use.  When the resources are destroyed or not available, survival now rests in the hand of those with the resources to “do good to all people”.  A special blessing is on those who are generous and full of grace.

Training Prep

Was going to do a long bike ride tonight but when I got back Indy it was sunny and 61 degrees.  Not much wind so I decided to do the bike tomorrow night and run outside.  Did 4.25 miles at a 10 min mile pace.  Felt pretty good considering a small cold.

People are rallying and working to make Run Mark Run a success.  We are still very hopeful as we continue to get the word out.  Seems slow by I have faith in the cause.  Wish we would have started sooner.  I also worry that I should have started training sooner and a little harder.  Best to just focus on what’s ahead, keep faith and let it happen.   Goodnight, see you tomorrow.

March 22, 2010

March 23, 2010

Spritual Prep

We all have friends who are in the middle of really tough events.  I have a friend who’s wife had a stroke and the road back is really hard.  It is not only hard on the person who suffered the illness, also on the family who becomes the care givers as well.  He was talking about how I had been a help to him as I checked in every once in a while.  He was thanking me–now get this.  Through this event, he has written some of the most encouraging prayers and use of scripture I have ever listened to from another person.  His heart and soul he has poured out to the Lord by email and I have had the privilege to hear his thoughts.  He has been such an encouragement to me and he is thanking me–no–I am grateful to him.  Bill and Sue Hansing are truly people of courage.  Sue is fighting hard to strengthen and regain control of her body and Bill has been there to help and respond as best he can and certainly in faithful prayer.  One of the definitions of courage I found in an on-line dictionary was, “a quality of mind and spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc without fear and to act in accordance to ones belief”.  It says nothing about that being pretty, nice or easy.  But it does say “to act in accordance to ones belief”.  We see courage portrayed on TV and begin to expect others to just have it and yet if we look at ourselves we probably find instances where we crumble when it is really time to stand firm.  In 1 Cor 16:13-14,  Paul writes to the Corinthians to “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.  Do everything in love.”    I know from what I read when Bill shares his thoughts, he loves Sue because of what he does for her.  Love is an act just like courage, and most of the time when we display courage, it is because of something we love.  Bill is one of my hero’s!

Training Prep

Cold is not any worse so ran tonight.  Raining here in Salt Lake so did 40 minutes at a 10.5 min mile pace on the hotel treadmill.  A lot of sweat, hope the cold come out.   Tomorrow I head to Indianapolis and tomorrow night, the long bike ride.

Get your courage up and go put a couple of more pennies by your name.  I’m not that fast,  you don’t have anything to worry about.

March 21, 2010

March 21, 2010

Training Prep

In Salt Lake City.  Just got through with a short 3.25 miles.  Ran looking at beautiful snow capped mountains.  About 62 degrees, a little windy.  Got a small cold starting.  Hopeful it is a minor one but zaps me a little.  Makes getting to the work out a little harder but once there make me feel better.   Hotel has a hot tub.  That was nice.

Take a look at this site-–http:www.youtube.com/watch?v=30rWm84z-zg

There are still people in Haiti looking for the hope that many have found.  Often it comes by way of physical help.  Join with us to give a gift that is designed to keep giving help and where everlasting hope is offered as well.  Keep passing on runmarkrun.net and let’s take the help viral.  Teamwork–dividing the effort and multiplying the effect–John Maxwell

Spiritual Prep

There are things you learn and still you don’t always utilize the learning.  I know to never  put off to tomorrow what I can do today.  I am getting where I don’t put it off for 5 minutes or I forget what it was I wanted to do.  This is about yesterday and later tonight I will do today.  Spent the last couple of days with work associates at a meeting in Las Vegas.  There is a national association meeting every year and wherever it meets we meet just before at the same location.  I can’t tell you how much I am encouraged when I spend time at work with people of character.  People who are interested in the well being of others and have made their profession based upon that conviction.  People who are believers and carry that into the work place.  Catching up with them on a personal and spiritual level makes life seamless.  I am confident that the Lord wants us to mature to the point that our life in Him is seamless in all we do.  How blessed I am to work, play and worship with men and women who are striving to intergate the Word throughout all aspects of their lives and not to compartmentalize it just to specific times rather to display it all the time–seamless.  I give thanks and praise to God for the relationships he has so graciously allowed me to have through my work.

Training Prep

Got out early yesterday and ran 3.5 miles on solid concrete.  Could not find any ashplalt and much of the run was up and down the walk overs.  Believe it or not, runners (at least older ones) can tell the difference in hard and soft surfaces especially in the legs later.  Catching a plane to Salt Lake this morning and will work there tomorrow so I will get a run in later today.  Usually when you run at 5:00 am there is not much to see.  In Vegas, there is a lot to see and most of it is very disheartnening.  A lot of the people out on the street at that time of the morning don’t look well.  You also can experience some tense moments as my friend Ron Remak did.  During his run he was passing a couple of fellows and one decided to come up and run beside him for a short distance. A little un-nerving for Ron.

As a reminder, the object of this fund raiser is for medical care of the people in Haiti.  I am going to start at the rear of all runners in the OneAmerica Mini Marathon on May 8th in Indianapolis.  We are asking you and as many others as possible to pledge a minimum of a penny for every person I pass.  Lump sums are of course welcome.  We believe I might be able to pass 2,000 of my fellow runners before the finish.  If you only pledged a penny, the cost is $20.00.  Not much.  Be a sport and give me some incentive by pledging 5 or 10 pennies.  I will add more later in the day after I arrive and take the afternoon run.