Lessons Learned from Running the 5K

I have been running for almost two years now. A friend at work pulled me with him out on the road and I have been panting for breath somewhat regularly ever since. Sometimes while I run, I think about things the Bible says regarding running. Paul regularly refers to running or other athletic events as an illustration for how Christians should live their lives for Christ. I would like to spend a few paragraphs pointing out some things I have learned that reinforce this illustration.

Training
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul points out that there is only one winner in a race and many are trying to claim that prize. Therefore, a lot of effort is being put into the race. "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training," he says. The runners I know don't just wake up and say, "I think I'll show up for a race and go for it." Rather, they start getting ready weeks and even months ahead of time. I have only run 5k events so far, but it still takes effort to get ready for it. After all, I don't want to go out there and look like a total whimp. I spend time getting ready. My fastest time was in my first race. Leading up to it, I ran about 3 times per week, probably logging 10 to 12 miles per week. I finished third in my age division for that first race and got a medal for it. After that I started dreaming of how I was going to qualify for the Boston Marathon and start winning smaller races around the area. However, the reality of limited time eventually came crashing down on me. I didn't run as frequently and my times came down. That first time has become a wall that I have had trouble breaking through.

The lesson I have learned here is obvious: you get out of racing what you put into training. This is especially true for those who train for marathons and triathlons. Those individuals run, swim and bike many, many miles leading up to an event. They watch their diet. They purchase fancy gizmos to monitor heartrate and read literature that tells them how to train and eat the best. In my spiritual life, I have seen the same. My zeal for Christ is highest and my faith is strongest when I put more time into cultivating a deeper relationship with him. Paul calls this "strict training." It's not always easy to live for God. Many times I want to sleep rather than read my Bible or pray. Accountability to other believers is not necessarily a cake walk, either. I don't like someone telling me that I am wrong. But these are things that are for my benefit when it's my turn to be tested. Christlikeness comes from time spent with Christ regularly.

A Different Pace
Another thing I have noticed about running is that there is what you call a "race pace" and then there is a "training pace." Training pace is not supposed to be the hardest you can run, because you are trying to build up endurance and stamina to prepare for the time when you go all out. I won't pretend to understand all the ins and outs of this, but a great example is found in low-heart-rate training. The strategy is to achieve a certain heart rate based on your personal skill-level and age. For example, my target heart rate may be 140 beats per minute. I need to reach that target heart rate and then keep it there, even if it means slowing down to a snail's pace to do it. As the theory goes, you will gradually build up more stamina and endurance to use when you run a race. Somehow this works better than just running as hard as you can all the time, which would be counterproductive.

When you compete in a race, the pace is different. You should leave it all on the road. When you run, you should not be able to carry on a coversation, because of your level of exertion. When you finish, you should be fully spent, no gas left in the tank. I made this mistake in my last race. At the end of the race, I was able to produce an all out sprint without really straining. I could have run another mile without too many problems. I think I would have been better served to use that energy earlier in the course to maintain a higher overall pace.

I say all that to say this: I need to press ahead as hard as I can in my effort to serve the Lord. That means I am taking advantage of every opportunity to cultivate a relationship with Jesus. It means that sometimes I need to lose some sleep in exchange for reading my Bible. It means that sometimes I need to give up a meal in order to spend time in prayer. It means that there are some friends that aren't good for me, so they should be discarded. It means that I need to make sure I am in church regularly hearing the Word of God being preached and taught. And it also means that I need to share my faith with others. I am to live at a "race pace" for Christ for he has already given all for me.

DL>DNF>DNS
Someone shared this formula with me before my first race: DL>DNF>DNS. It stands as an encouragement for those just starting out. It translates like this: Dead Last is greater than Did Not Finish is greater than Did Not Start. It basically means that even if I am the last person to finish a race, I at least had the guts to get out there and try. And it means that if I achieve my first and most important goal in running a race, to FINISH, then I have done something to be proud of. I have seen people finish a 5k over half an hour behind the leaders, but still get a much deserved pat on the back. There are spectators hanging around until the very end to cheer on even the ones that limp across the finish line. Many of the ones that finish early will hang around the finish line to clap for their vanquished comrads to press on, because it's just a little further. It's really cool to see it. The point is that even though Paul said that you need to run a race like you are trying to be the winner, he didn't say you must finish in first place in order to win in Christ. You just have to be in Christ. I struggle with this, because I like to win. It's easy for me to get down on myself, because I don't get a medal in a race or I don't get noticed in church as much as I might think I deserve. But Jesus loves me, not because of how often I'm the one with the right answer in Sunday School, or how eloquently I can (or cannot) pray, but because I belong to him.

Running in a Crowd
One more thing. I run faster when there are others around me running, too. In a race, the crowd pulls me along. After all, no one wants to get left behind. If I run with people who are just a little faster, I can match their pace and thus finish better. The obvious parallel here is that all believers need other believers. You need to go to church regularly! And don't try that "I don't believe in organized religion" garbage on me. That's a very clever trick, but a trick nevertheless. I just got done confessing to my wife that I have been feeling cynical toward the church lately. It's mostly due to things I disagree with and because, well, people are people. Sometimes they...I mean, we get it wrong. But I believe that church is exactly where I am supposed to be, so I will attend and get involved regardless of imperfections. They will make me stronger through their successes, and in spite of their failures. Hopefully, I will do the same for them. "As iron sharpens iron...."

To conclude, God has given me many valuable lessons from running. I think the most valuable lesson is that I'm not there yet. I still have a lot to learn about living in Christ. Running is not simply putting on some shoes and going for a jog one day. It's about training and setting goals and then trying to reach those goals. So it is with Christlikeness. To me, running the race is about being in Christ and being like him more and more. Even though I don't "run the race" to make God like me, I still run hard, because I want to reach my final goal: to be like him when I meet him. That's what I think Paul was saying in 2 Timothy 4:7. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." May his glory consistently be reflected in me.