Run the Race Well

This Sunday, while you are reading this, I’ll be running a marathon in Eugene. A marathon is always 26.2 miles. If the distance is not the full 26.2 miles it will be qualified somehow – ½ marathon, ultra marathon.

There is months of running that go into preparing for the marathon. It is not unheard of that someone would attempt a marathon without preparing for it but it almost always turns out really, really, really ugly!

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth these words:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

For Paul every step along the way had purpose and every step along the way had consequences. ‘Strict training’ is how he described an athlete’s preparation for the race. I often tell kids when I coach them – “You play what you practice.” The idea I want them to get is that you can’t practice poorly and perform well in game situation. An athlete ‘plays what he practices.’

Run sloppy, run too little, run too much, run carelessly or foolishly and there are consequences that impact the ability to finish a race well.

Choose sloppy, too little, too much, carelessly or foolishly and there are consequences that impact the ability to finish the race of life well.

Are you striving to make every step count, understand the purpose of your steps all the while aware of the consequences?

That mindset will help you ‘run the race’ well!