Linda,Welcome and good for you on your running. My daughter works for the New York Road Runners ( they do the big N.Y. marathon.) Maybe someday you will run in the New York Marathon and I can say "hey I know her." I also in my early forties took on some challenges which took a whole lot of physical endurance ( which I don't have much of because of some health issues) and I realized the spititual endurance part of me was stronger than the physical. Now in my late forties, I am not doing much of anything physical and having some health struggles. I am needing to get back into shape to regain my physical strength but more so my spititual strength/endurance. For myself my spiritual endurance gets flabby if I do not discipline myself to challenge myself and "train" regularly. Physical strength is a good by product of spiritual strength.