A marathon is 26.2 miles. It is the pinnacle of races. I was standing at the starting line of my 6th marathon, waiting like of the rest of the crowd. It was December 6th, the place was Memphis, TN (for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon), the time was 6:30 am, the temperature was 45 degrees and it was a perfect day to go for a run.
Those of us who are long distance runners are cut from a different cloth. We look forward to putting on our running clothes, no matter the weather, and thrill in the challenge of getting our bodies out the door. The look on people’s faces when they are driving by while I am running through 5 inches of snow and 15 degree weather with 25 mile winds gives me a sense of pride.
When someone tells me I am nuts because I am running in this weather, it is as good as the medal that I receive at the end of a race.
So here I was at the beginning of the race. As I looked around me, I observed people of all shapes and sizes. They were old and young, big (yes big) and small. Some were joyous, some were afraid. Some moved around like caged animals, others were calm and relaxed. Some wore shorts and a short sleeved T-shirt. Others had 3 layers, a cap and gloves.
The race included a marathon (26.2 miles), a half-marathon (13.1 miles) and a 5k (3.1 miles). By far, most of the people were running the half-marathon (over 8,000), 3,000 were running the 5k and 2,500 were running the marathon, for a total of almost 14,000 people. This was a small race when it comes to races, but it was still a mass of humanity. Why would this many people want to come out early on a chilly Saturday morning just to pummel their bodies until they can’t go anymore?
People had been congregating and prepping for this race for up to two hours before it actually began. As a casual observer, I began to note that every runner had a routine. The good runners first went through a regimented stretching routine for sometimes up to an hour. Then they would begin to run, first bounding as though they were skipping, for more than 100 yards, then turning around and skipping back. Then they would run some more until, for some, they had run up to 2 miles just to get warmed up so they could then run the marathon.
What is this craziness anyway? Why would any one person want to challenge their bodies to run so far? For some, it was the challenge of being able to say that they could. For many it was more than that. It was a way of distancing oneself from the norm, an opportunity to do something that most people would not do. There were a few that were the craziest of the crazies who are part of the 50/50 club; they advertised it on caps and shirts that they had run 50 marathons in 50 states. Whether they had a loose screw or were gluttons for punishment, the fact that there were a lot of people on a chilly Saturday said something about the human condition.
The shirts communicated a lot. Some runners were running for a higher cause, like a charity. They were dubbed ‘heroes’ or ‘Jennifer’s girls’ or they wore a special shirt with the name of the organization emblazoned on the front. Many of these runners had not only trained for this day, but they had also raised a significant amount of money, often in honor or in memory of a very special friend.
The horn sounds and the race is finally on. All of the runners slowly walk toward the starting line, a mass of pent up energy ready to burst. For some, the energy is rolling off their bodies, like a young puppy jumping up and down. For others, there is a quiet resolution that shows on their faces. They all have the same goal in mind; to run and finish well.
We finally reach the starting line, look down at our watches, press the button to begin the time and start to run. As I run, there is an adrenaline rush and I feel happy inside. The race is finally on. This was what I have trained for, for so long.
I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction. Do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. (Proverbs 4:11-13)
Your Christian life is like a marathon. Train hard, Run well and enjoy the journey.
2009©Kent Robson
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