2319: St. Jude Eve

The eve before race day. The nerves are here, but they feel more like excitement than fear. The half marathon is in Memphis, TN, so today feels like an away-game travel day. The race is tomorrow, and the goal is simple and honest: finish. I want to run at the pace I’ve trained at, and wherever that lands me is what we roll with. Start steady, stay patient, and press the gas as the miles go on. The hard work has already been done. It really does feel like the end of an anime training arc: sixteen weeks of tough, grueling runs leading up to the next big challenge—the race.

Looking back, it’s wild to think that eleven months ago I could barely run a mile. I made the decision to become a better friend by actively engaging in this shared activity of running. At that point in my life, I needed a win. Waking up every morning is a win and a blessing, but I needed something tangible to balance the anxiety that comes with pursuing medicine. Like any profession, it takes time and work to feel secure, but medicine is its own kind of calling. The title “pre-med” stays with you for a long time—always buzzing in the background—until you finally become a medical student, then a physician-in-training, then a fully licensed doctor. The time “x” in between all of that is where life actually happens, and there’s so much more than academics that has to be cared for if you want to stay grounded. That’s where running stepped in and gave me an outlet.

Running was the missing puzzle piece. Almost overnight, my mind and body felt calmer. From my first 5K to a half marathon in eleven months, running has completely shifted my outlook on life. Things started to fall into place, not all at once, but one mile at a time. No matter what tomorrow’s clock says, that transformation is already a victory.

Peace,

Zechariah Davis

🎵 Song of the Week

"Treasure In The Hills" - Leon Thomas

• This has been the soundtrack to race week—steady, reflective, and grounded. A reminder that the real treasure isn’t just at the finish line, but in the climb itself: the early alarms, the quiet solo miles, and the choice to keep going when stopping would be easier.

🗣 Quote of the Week

📖 Scripture of the Week

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