The Perfect Race- 1 Lap Down!

As most of you know, I'm a runner. Probably my favorite race distance is the mile. The sub-four minute mile has always been what I've trained for. Although I have not yet ran one I have been close enough for so many attempts that I know what it takes.

It's the perfect race. Four laps, just under 1 minute each. Sounds simple enough and it is in theory. But trust me, few ever get there.

Anyways, I relate most things in life to running. My chemotherapy is no different. I have been given a new race to run, four cycles of chemotherapy. It will take much longer than running a mile but the parallel is there. Four laps to a mile, for cycles to a cancer-free body.

I'm happy to say that I successfully completed the first lap of the cancer mile yesterday. And, besides being completely wiped-out from the 50mg of Benadryl they pump into the IV before the chemo, I had no side-effects yet again.

Four laps, and four cycles is a great way to look at it for me. However, I pray that the analogy ends there. Why? I'll tell you why. In a mile race, each lap is harder than the last. The first lap, if you're properly trained and you are racing according to strategy, is like you aren't even trying. It's easy. It's controlled. It goes by quick and you shouldn't even really be breathing that hard.

The second lap should be harder but still fairly relaxed. The end of the second lap is when you begin to feel the burn.

The third lap is always the hardest. You have to consciously make yourself push. You feel like you have increased the pace significantly yet you haven't increased it at all. You're actually lucky if you have maintained the pace.

When you cross the line to begin the fourth lap is when your adrenaline kicks in. However, you have to keep it in check because more than likely if you start your "kick" then it won't last the entire 400 meters that remains in the race. It's at this point when experience and pure guts drives you to the point to where whatever you have left finally gets you across the finish line.

With this chemotherapy, I pray that each cycle just gets easier. I'm sure it's supposed to be similar to a mile race, each cycle just getting more and more taxing on the body. And, if that's the way it is for me I know I'm prepared to go through that. I believe, however, that God has made my way straight. He has gone before me and leveled he ground. He has parted the waters, and I'm walking on solid ground.

I ask that everyone continue to pray that this would be my reality. Pray that I would not experience what I'm "supposed" to experience. Pray that this would be my best race yet. Pray that this would be a race made perfect by the power and presence of Jesus.

-Kirby