Running out of time!!!! Don't miss the TARGET before the lights go out!!

Well, I INTENDED to get my long run in at the gym tonight. Problem is, I normally go on Saturday mornings, but had somewhere more important to be on this day. I just ASSUMED tonight would be like any other night and I would have TIME to work it all out.

I paid no mind to the SIGN on the door - I don't know if I've even ever really looked at it and certainly didn't tonight on my way in ... I am a MEMBER for pete's sake!!! It's my gym!!! I can go there any TIME I want. Since the day I joined it has just always been open for me whenever I show up at my whim.

My first SIGN should have been the very scarce parking lot... I thought... hmmmm... party animals huh.. well, it is Saturday night, who wants to be at the gym anyway... some people have social lives.

There were a small handful of people working out and some on the treadmills around me... so I did my warm up and then got into my zone... tuning the rest of the gym out to the songs on my iPod while I occasionally glanced down at my time and distance. I was looking forward to the opportunity to check off this next step in my training, get my long run over with thereby gradually increasing my running time this week so I can do it all again next week and push it just a little further. I am following the advise of my trainer, my mentors and the 'experts' to reach my big goal. Not to push too fast in time and distance increases in order to avoid injuries but not to be too slack either to stay on TARGET. I've got 20 months until my marathon... plenty of time, no hurry... no urgency here.

I started to feel uneasy for some reason... I had only gone a little over a mile when I glanced around and didn't see anyone next to me anymore... the ones cooling down on the track were also not there. That is just plain strange, because there are ALWAYS others at the gym at all kinds of weird hours. Some work out people are completely NUTS about their discipline.

I saw the maintenance guy sweeping... but honestly, he is always around doing something... I zoned back into my music... I had a few more miles to go - too bad everyone else decided to be a SLACKER tonight, but that was not my problem.

Apparently it was.

Yeah... I felt like the Lucille Ball of GET A CLUE ALREADY dorkdom when all of a sudden the lights on the lower deck went out. I looked down and I had only gone a mile and a half. I glanced at my Blackberry. It was 5 minutes to 7pm... WHAT???? - this isn't a holiday... it's SATURDAY... what gives???? I scanned the lower deck for the sorry soul who would flick that switch right back on with an embarrassed apology, I waited for the "Whoops... my mistake..." ... ... ... nothing. UH OH!! I then looked around the upper deck where I was frantically searching for ANYONE to ease my mind... to share my embarrassment with and disqualify it. Nope. Nada. No one.

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! Those SLACKERS had seen the sign...and in my own sense of entitlement and arrogance... I HAD NOT!!! I was in my own 'left behind' episode!

I hurried off the treadmill and grabbed my jacket out of my locker. The maintenance guy was sweeping elsewhere... he acted like he didn't see me but I am sure he was thinking... FINALLY!!!! WAY TO CLOSE IT DOWN GIRL!

I rushed passed the familiar trainer at the front desk and said a hasty but fake 'I meant to be this late' goodbye.. flicking my hair and nodding at him with the feigned confidence of Ms. Congeniality. I STILL HAD 3 MINUTES before the clock struck the hour anyway...but a glance at the doors on my way out confirmed it.. yep... stick to Saturday mornings ... Saturdays 7 - 7 ... hmph... who knew?

I laughed at myself all the way to my car... and at the grocery store where I had to go in in my 'pre cool-down state' all DRENCHED and red faced because I hadn't taken the time to notice the signs ... and by doing that I RAN OUT OF TIME!!! I didn't get my post run cool-down laps on the track in that slowly transform me back to myself before I have to go out and face the world. Instead... my world went dark...

Kinda reminded me of our window of opportunity to RUN with urgency and share those signs with others of our full and free salvation... to aim for those those targets with discipline before the lights go out. Unlike the courtesy displayed on the big glass doors leading into my training field... we don't know how much time we have to do that!!! Are we taking our MEMBERSHIP in CHRIST'S GLORIOUS KINGDOM for granted like I did today at the gym and by not sharing that FRUIT possibly letting others run out of time? Wow... say it isn't so....

Now I have to find time to get that long run in tomorrow in order to stay on track with my training goals and target... Lord willing I will have time - what a GIFT... not to be taken for granted or WASTED.