Commitment to Running and Prayer Provides Balance and Peace

Running along nature trails connects Leigh Ann Roman to childhood and prayer.

When I was growing up in Eastern Kentucky, every house we lived in backed up to the woods. That wonderful place became a playground where my imagination could run free. With friends, I would explore, play in the creek, and hike around for hours.

I was fortunate to grow up at a time when parents didn’t lay eyes on their children all day, and no one worried about it. The woods were both an adventure land and a sanctuary for country kids like me. Trees towered above me, leaves crunched beneath my feet, and the sweet, earthy scent of autumn leaves filled the air. It was a world set apart, and it brought me peace.

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Now a wife and mother who lives in a large Southern city, I have found a way to bring the peace of my past and the peace of my present together with a very simple practice—the running Rosary. I live near a rail line that has been revamped as a paved path through a wooded area for joggers, walkers, and bikers. It goes from the heart of Memphis, TN, out to Shelby Farms—one of the largest urban parks in the U.S.

When I step onto the path, known as the Green Line, I connect to my childhood again—a childhood of blue skies, tall trees, no Internet, and very few TV channels. As I jog along and pray my Rosary, I see squirrels leaping from limb to limb, cardinals in flight, and the occasional group of deer carefully crossing the trail.

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The Rosary is truly a touchtone in my faith. It is a timeless prayer that has deepened my understanding of Christ’s life as I meditate on the mysteries. Each of the mysteries is both familiar and endlessly fascinating.

I dedicate each mystery to a different intention, most often for God’s guidance and protection of family members or friends in need. The peace that the prayer brings, no matter the situation, is a testament to both its power and its importance in my life.

Taking this time to spend with God and with nature at the beginning of the day is a commitment that pays great dividends. It provides balance in my life and gives me energy. Starting the day in this way is so much better than reading the news or cleaning the kitchen, believe me.

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While I don’t run every day, the days that I do run and pray the Rosary are the best days of the week. Some mornings I just have time for a quick neighborhood walk while praying. But the vital combination seems to be prayer and nature—no matter what the weather. When I start my day with God and with nature, I carry a peace in my soul that the cares of the world cannot erase.

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