We Run The Night

One of the primary reasons why Hashem puts us in this world is to seek Him even when His presence is hidden. This ability to seek out Hashem in the midst of darkness is also know as Emunah. As Dovid Hamelech writes, L'hagid Baboker Chasdecha, Vemunascha Balelos. The goal of a Jew is therefore to seek Hashem when He is not easily seen or as my Rebbe always says, to dance in the dark. But how do we stretch & strengthen our Emunah muscles? How do we run even when it's dark?

For some the idea of running is synonymous with root canal. They can't imagine putting on their worn out dusty sneakers buried in their closet and going for a run. The truth is that running provides many benefits for the both the body and the soul. Most people are already aware of the health benefits of running such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease or even diabetes and building a strong heart. However most people don't realize that running can provide spiritual benefits as well. In fact running provides a context where we can put our body through a challenging ordeal and find the inner strength to overcome the difficulty and the challenge by believing in our own abilities and turning to Hashem for his Divine Support. Running can actually help us develop a greater level of Emunah and remind us of our dependency on Hashem. So going out for a run may not just strengthen our heart but may also help us actually become more dependable and reliable people.

If running provides a medium to build Emunah, a marathon is darkness times 26.2. The ultimate test of endurance and determination, the Marathon creates a context for pushing ourselves to the limit. Marathon runners must invest tremendous effort and much preparation while overcoming many obstacles in their strenuous journey. They must push to the max and continue pushing even when they have depleted every ounce of energy in their body. They must relay on Hashem at every step and depend on him to carry them through what would otherwise be an impossible ordeal. By the time they cross the finish line and after miles through the absolute darkness, they have managed to still feel His presence in every step and therefore developed a greater level of awareness and an increased appreciation for His Hashgacha.

Before I completed my first 10k race my coach shared something with me that changed my life and helped me never look at running in the same way. He said that there are different types of people in this world and we can see this difference from how they handle adversity. During these dark moments many people just lie on the ground and convulse, paralyzed with fear and anxiety, where they just stop functioning. Then there are other people who don’t stop functioning but they cant do more than just crawl. Then there are others who when the lights go out they keep walking be it very slowly. But then there are other people, those who have trained and have worked on themselves so that when the lights go out they just continue to run; they can run the night.

So next time you go for a jog, consider how exercising and marathons can help build your Emunah. Remember that when things get tough and we need to push a little harder let's not avoid the darkness. The darkness is very valuable and is what makes us stronger, where our Emunah is formed. As runners we can hope for being in the light but when it's dark we can still run the night.

Wishing you continued success in your training both in the light and the dark.