Lord,
Watch
over my body.
Keep
it free from injury.
As
I run, may the tiredness and the pain
be
the symbol of victory and not the reason for defeat.
May
I acknowledge my limitations,
but
not accept less than my potential.
Lord,
Watch
over my mind.
May
I be intelligent as I run.
May
I listen to the signals from within
as
I enjoy the scenes from without.
Keep
me from foolishness at the start
so
that I can finish with wisdom at the end.
Lord,
Watch
over my spirit.
As
time passes and my committment dims and blurs,
may
the inner resources that You give me
come
forward and give me the resolve to press onward.
Remind
me of the relative shortness of this race and life
and
the victory You give at the finish.
Lord,
Watch
over my competitors.
As
they face the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual challenges
we
all face, may they find the peace and strength
that
I have found through You.
Remind
them that we all are struggling equally
and
that their personal Victory is a result of your guidance.
Lord,
Watch
over the trails and mountains.
As
they seek to challenge me, may they also offer
havens
of comfort and shelter from storms.
Please
allow me to seek out that shelter
and
give me time to enjoy the boundless beauty they possess.
Let
the mountains offer me a test and a challenge
but
also a passage through which I may safely pass.
As
I continue to press to the summit,
may
the trail lead me where You want me to go.
Lord,
Let
me win.
Not
by coming in ahead of my friends, but by beating myself.
Let
it be an inner win. A battle won over me.
May
I say at the end,
"I
have fought a good fight.
I
have finished the race.
I
have kept the faith."
- Carolyn Erdman & Jay Hodde
Jason Hodde, c1997. Last update, 20 May 1997. All rights
reserved.
Permission to reproduce this document, in all or in part,
may be obtained by contacting the author.