Editorial: Running with Endurance
It鈥檚 4:50am. I technically have another 25 minutes to sleep, but as soon as my body wakes me up, the nerves hit. It鈥檚 race day, goes the internal monologue, and everyone thinks you can win. No pressure!
This is the day of a much-anticipated event in the seminary community: the Wesley Waddle. It鈥檚 a 5K or 10K race that raises money for Refuge for Women, a ministry that helps women to get out of the sex trade. April 20, 2024 marked the 8th Annual Wesley Waddle, and around 600 people toed the starting line.
One of those people happened to be me. I was a collegiate runner in undergrad, and although my mileage volume isn鈥檛 what it once was, I still run six days a week. It鈥檚 an important part of my rule of life: it reminds me of how small and weak I am, and how great and creative God is. An unfortunate side effect of my cardio addiction is people鈥檚 expectations: they expect me to be fast or something.
Ever since Wesley Waddle promos started going around a few months ago, people on campus have been chatting excitedly about it. Some hoped for PRs (personal records). Others wanted the chance to do something as a community. My only hope was to run faster than last year, but friends of mine kept saying, 鈥淵ou got second overall female last year – surely you can win it this year!鈥�
Race-day nerves are real for me. Running usually comes down to guts – can you push even when it hurts? Mental toughness is paramount. While in other sports you can fall back on the skills emblazoned in your muscle memory, there isn鈥檛 really an equivalent for running. Come championship season, my college coach would always say, 鈥淭he hay is in the barn.鈥� The preparation is done: either you鈥檙e ready, or you鈥檙e not.
This year, I wasn鈥檛 sure if the hay was in the barn. I was afraid I would let people down. But, glory to God, it turns out I was ready. I felt smooth through most of the race and ran faster than last year. Miracle of miracles, I also happened to be the first female across the line. The post-race celebration was very satisfying: the nerves were gone, and it felt wonderful to congratulate my friends, so many of whom also reached their goals.
I doubt it鈥檚 a coincidence that New Testament writers so often compare the Christian life to running a race. It takes endurance and preparation. Sometimes it hurts and is hard, but you need to push through. You鈥檝e got to have guts. However, we鈥檙e also 鈥渟urrounded by a great cloud of witnesses鈥� (Hebrews 12:1) – those who run with us now and have gone before us. The good Lord is with us, too – this is not a journey we face alone. Oh, and how glorious a day it will be when we reach the finish line! May the Lord help us to keep our eyes fixed on Him so we can run with endurance.
This article is by Julia Hotchkiss, Alumni Office Student Worker.
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