Alis Aquilae

A friend recently invited me to run my first half-marathon. I investigated the charity involved and signed up excitedly. Morning runs had become somewhat of a habit already, but watching a few recommended videos, reading a couple of articles, and sticking with the training plan, I felt more organized and informed and less like an aimless runner (1 Cor. 9:26).

Not surprisingly, training and the race itself offered several insights into the truth of our greater running with God and spiritual journey. Below are some of my findings.

1. Training is not for your spare time.

Training for a serious race is not a hobby. I quickly found I could not squeeze running several miles into the spare moments of my day. I had to make adjustments, plan, and prepare. As American distance runner and Olympian Bill Rodgers notes, “If the marathon is a part-time interest, you will only get part-time results.” If I waited until training was convenient, I would never do it. First Corinthians 9:25 declares that “everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.” That doesn’t sound like casual activity for a Sunday afternoon. If we intend to train ourselves to be godly (1 Tim. 4:7), it is not for the faint of heart.

2. Run, and it will become light.

I approached the starting line in pitch blackness beside whom what I discovered later were nearly three thousand runners. Breathing calmly and walking through the cold parking lot, it dawned on me (no pun intended) that while darkness loomed at present, as I ran, it would become light. In a post last year, I shared the wisdom of George MacDonald, “Obedience is the opener of eyes.” Take the first right step, and the next is often clearer.

3. Winning is the work of an unseen team.

The police blocking the roads, the neighbors cheering me on, and of course the organizers of the race all played a crucial role in me finishing. Cheerleaders held signs along the route that read, “You run faster than the government,” “Due to inflation, you must now run 14.2 miles,” and “You are beating everyone behind you.” I found the humor refreshing. I could try to run such a distance alone but would hardly be as effective. According to 1 Corinthians 12, each person has a gift and role as a member of a greater team and serves as a faithful steward of God’s grace (1 Pet. 4:10). No one should feel unneeded. Crossing the finish line requires the planning, encouragement, protection, guidance, and support of a team who may not always receive recognition but remains invaluable if you want to win.

4. We may be more likely to participate when invited by a friend.

I could have discovered this half-marathon from an advertisement or a Google search, but that would not have been nearly as encouraging or compelling as my friend inviting me. Anyone can join the race, reap the benefits, and cross the finish line, but there is power in the human connection. In a similar way, God uses His church to recruit and invite others to join not only His race but His family. A mere advertisement is no substitute.

5. Different seasons may require companions.

Providentially, less than a week before the race, I discovered that another friend would be running the same half-marathon! For roughly the first half, we paced each other excellently. However, at one point, we parted ways. At some points, I would find myself running solo. At others, I would catch up and match the pace of a fellow runner. We would run side-by-side, enjoying the challenge and encouragement, until one of us moved on. In the same way, in life, in different seasons, we may have different fellow runners who match our pace at that time according to what we need.

6. Lazy Lane is always a temptation.

Comically, at one point on the route, I passed a road sign that read, “Lazy Lane.” Literally. Of course, it occurred to me how in life too “Lazy Lane” is never a shortcut but a detour. It might seem less populated. It may dress like “Rest” or “Break,” but beneath the trench coat hides another trap.

7. Detours and shortcuts leave you vulnerable.

While running on the track marked out for us, I noticed a runner cutting through a parking lot. At the time, my thought was how pointless this was. Cheating in this way was only cheating herself. Using a shortcut, my time would be faster, but it wouldn’t be accurate, because I didn’t go the full distance. It then occurred to me how not only useless this was but dangerous. At regular intervals on the course, both water and medical teams waited for us. Going off course would be going unnecessarily alone and refusing the help we needed to finish safely. In the same way, when we choose God’s path and God’s race, and hit the checkpoints He has designed for us, we benefit from the resources He has provided that strengthen us to finish.

8. That which you are free to do may not help you win.

I mentioned this in a previous post, but it would not have been against the rules to slack on my training plan, eat a rich meal the night before, or have ice cream for breakfast. I am free. I have the right to do anything—but not everything is beneficial (1 Cor. 10:23). If I really want to win, I’ll make sacrifices accordingly, not because I must or because I’ll be punished or fouled, but because of my goal: victory. As Christians, there are choices we can make that are not unbiblical, but will they help us win?

9. Inferior tools and inadequate sustenance make the race harder than it needs to be.

With inadequate shoes and a poor diet, as two examples, running may be more of a challenge than it needs to be. We can choose God’s race, which is good, but we can also run as we weren’t intended to, with inferior tools, without community, or in our own strength. We need to run the right way.

10. Endurance is tested when you persevere in spite of the feelings that tell you to give up.

For me, the first half wasn’t that bad. I had a companion, fun conversation, solid breathing, and my favorite hot pink running shoes. The last leg proved to be the challenge. I could hardly feel my legs but kept telling myself that stopping would hurt more. The whole experience reminded me that endurance is truly tested when the race demands more than you feel like you can offer. Finishing is not about how we feel; it’s about what by God’s grace we can do. Difficulty is not always a sign to stop. Feeling tired is expected, and we can rest when it’s over. Endurance is what counts.

11. Let others’ races inspire rather than discourage you.

At the same time of my race was a qualifying marathon for the Boston marathon. The half-marathon shared some of the same track, and when the half-marathon and marathon diverged, I noticed the runners who continued where most of us turned. These athletes were few but well-conditioned, and even with the months of training I had done to prepare, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of discouragement.

Similarly, in the spiritual life, looking to the side and coveting the race of others is unhelpful. God has equipped them to do the good works He has prepared for them and equipped you for your unique calling (Eph. 2:10). You’re running your race, not theirs. I wonder what would happen if, out of jealousy, pride, or fear, I spontaneously decided to run a race I was not ready for. I could have easily injured myself. Perhaps a helpful reminder here is that God makes everything beautiful in its time (Eccl. 3:11). We are therefore free to not covet others’ successes but be inspired by them.

12. A feast is waiting for those who finish!

When I signed up for the race, the organizers promised an epic after-party. They did not disappoint. They prepared for us more food than I had ever seen in my life, and it is the only time I can remember feeling truly justified in eating anything I wanted.

In heaven at the end of our race, a Messianic banquet waits for us. In Isaiah 25:6, we read of a “lavish banquet” the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples on His mountain. Revelation 7:16-17 promises a place of no hungering or thirsting. Even Jesus uses the imagery of a father preparing a wedding banquet for his son in teaching on the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 22:2). Throughout Scripture, we witness God inviting His people into abundance (Is. 55:1-2, Joel 2:24-26). We too can be confident that the after-party will be epic.

One Difference

As I reflect on my run, while several elements do reflect our running as Christians, there remains at least one difference: Spiritually, we run only once. I learned several tips while preparing for this race and new habits I look forward to implementing. Yet when we cross the finish line in eternity, we won’t have another chance. As the popular quote observes, “Life is like a quarter. You can spend it any way you want, but you can only spend it once.” My friends, let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, not turning to Lazy Lane or yielding to the temptation of shortcuts, but fixing our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:1-2a). When we wait for the Lord, we shall run alis acquilae, on an eagle’s wings (Is. 40).