2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
The Ironman World Championships were on television today. I caught about the last hour of it with my daughter. Chris McCormack and Chrissie Wellington finished first in this grueling event. 2.4m swim, 112m bike, and 26.2m run. I think I’d die in one event let alone three.
I’m a sucker for these types of events and it wasn’t until my daughter asked me, “Daddy, why do these people do this?” did I begin to really listen to why it gets me. You see, I’m stoked for Chris and Chrissie but they were expected to finish, maybe even win. No, the stories that get me are the people who aren’t expected to win, let alone finish.
There was a guy without legs, a guy who should have died in a car accident, a guy with ALS, a sixty-five year old blind man, and a grandma. Normal people. People like me who just want to finish. Getting to the finish is the point. Discovering the moment at the end that we can. That is the point. It’s like the finish line is calling them, to discover that moment of fulfillment.
And I began to realize that the Ironman is exactly like the journey of faith. In one event, such as the marathon, we know that given enough time, we could likely finish. But the Ironman is different. It’s filled with so many ways to keep you from taking one more step. The heat, the distance, and the elements all working to convince you to stop. Getting to the finish is not a given, even for world class athletes.
And as I thought about it, there is SO much in life that begs us to just drop out, quit, and give up. There is so much that just begs us to settle for the mediocre and the benign. And the stories that come from the Ironman are from people who don’t give up, who don’t quit, who have found the space in their heart to venture further than they ever thought they could.
And so I say, well done my friends. Well done.
I watched the Champoinships as well, and what I realized is that any of my excuses are just that – excuses. If those gentlemen that you mentioned can take the time to better themselves, and ultimately finish, I should really respect the sport and give it my best shot.
Great post.
Logic, and maybe in the process you can see what you are capable of and the measure of your heart.
Driven to achieve this
I have enjoyed reading your blog and look forward to your future posts.
Daniel
http://typeonerunner.wordpress.com/