Each year, during the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Emilee Roberts runs 92 miles. Called “Mary Miles,” these workouts represent the distance that Mary and Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem before the Savior’s birth.
Emilee got the idea several years ago from a friend. Ever since, it’s been a way for her to consecrate her daily workouts during the Christmas season and intentionally set aside time to think about the Savior.
“I probably would’ve been running close to 92 miles during that time frame anyway,” Emilee explained. “But instead of listening to a book or a podcast or watching a movie in my garage [while working out], I … started listening to general conference talks or old Christmas devotionals and just making it a little more Christ-centered.”
A Grounding Influence
Though running 92 miles may sound to some like the perfect recipe for overwhelm during the holidays, Emilee says these workouts have the opposite effect.
“There have been days where I feel too busy to run. Going into it, I may be stressed and anxious or irritable and grumpy, and there’s just a million things going through my head. … But then, I start listening to something that reminds me that my to-do list is not the thing that matters. …
“I end [my run] feeling less frazzled, less anxious, and less grumpy because I just put my focus back on Jesus.”
Emilee’s husband often runs with her, and their joint focus on the Savior is a grounding influence on their family.
“If we’re running and we’re listening to a devotional or something, I’ll have an AirPod, and he’ll have an AirPod,” Emilee said. “Sometimes, … we’ll finish our run talking back and forth about what our impressions were and what hit [us] from that message.
“It’s given us an opportunity to talk about our testimonies. When we are both refocused on what Christmas is for, I feel like that impacts our family. … It trickles [down to] our kids and the atmosphere of our home.”
Pondering Mary
Sometimes, Emilee won’t listen to anything as she runs but will instead mentally put herself in Mary’s shoes and consider the intensity of Mary’s journey.
“If I was Mary, I think I would have felt inadequate and overwhelmed. … It must’ve been really hard to get from Nazareth to Bethlehem, but imagine having to go from Bethlehem back to Nazareth after giving birth and with a new baby. … There’s only one way Mary did it. And that was with the strength of Heavenly Father.”
Thinking of everything Mary went through reminds Emilee of the parallels in her life, including giving birth to her first baby near Christmas 11 years ago. It also brings up dark periods when she’s lost loved ones or tended to sick children.
“Whatever those things are that are heavy and that are hard, the reason that I’m able to get through them is because I have faith in a loving Heavenly Father,” Emilee said. “I know that He has a plan for me. … It always goes past December, and it goes past Christmas.”
Your Own 92 “Somethings”
Emilee is adamant that you don’t need to run 92 miles to begin this tradition. You may choose to run fewer miles or to walk, bike, hike, or swim the miles instead.
“I do think there is something to say about moving your body,” she said. “You leave the other things behind. It opens up this space in your mind and in your heart to be more receptive to promptings and to have more conversations with your Father in Heaven.”
However, there are still ways to consecrate time and attention to the Savior that don’t have to do with miles or workouts. One idea could be choosing 92 people to serve between Thanksgiving and Christmas—and choosing big families to make the goal a bit easier. Whatever you do, the point is to reorient your focus on the Savior during Christmas.
“[Doing this] reminds me what actually I need to put my time towards,” Emilee said. “The Lord loves effort, and He’s going to meet me where I’m at.”
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