Run Your Race

This morning was slated to be my sons' first triathlon (and K's second) but Mother Nature had other plans. Due to the chilly temps the scheduled early morning lake swim was scrapped and the trio had their first duathlon experience instead.

So they ran...
And transitioned...
And biked...
(four miles on these little bitty bikes that worked those sweet legs HARD) And then they ran another mile.


As their mother, my mind ran through all the reasons this should have been impossible.

I went into labor at 24 weeks.

They were born as micro preemies (less than 9 pounds when you put the three together). Between the three we have our share of diagnoses and have been through years of physical, occupational and speech therapy.

They are only seven years old--and very much on the little side of that age.

Their parents aren't exactly triathletes.

We don't have all the fancy equipment.

The best we could do is run beside them and encourage them like crazy.

Rather than using excuses, my children courageously and enthusiastically got out there and tried. Not because they are well-trained, stellar athletes...none of them placed and we were essentially dead last.

But they were healthy and strong enough to show up and run their race to its completion.


And we are VERY proud of them.

While still on the course P noticed that he was going to be the last to finish. He asked a few times if he really was in very last place. His Daddy & I tried to explain what we felt in our hearts: Participating and finishing put him ahead of the majority of 1st graders we know--who didn't even come out and attempt it. The placing was an afterthought...The goal wasn't to win, as much as it was to get our children out there and cheer them on as they did their best. It was the participation and the completion that overwhelmed my heart with gratefulness and joy.

I was told last Spring (when K participated for the first time) that the beauty of triathloning was the individuality in a group setting. I have found that to be true. Even those who train with a group get out on the course and run their own individual race marked by different strengths, weaknesses, challenges and accomplishments. Most seem to be competing with themselves rather than anyone else.

It occurred to me as I watched from the sidelines that every one of the 180+ youth & adult participants has a story too. Some were apparent (and unbelievably inspiring) Others were unseen and potentially unknown--like the 8 year old foster child from our group home who participated this morning even though his own parents weren't around to witness it or cheer him on. (Don't worry, plenty of others did.)

We spent 8 hours on the course today--participating, cheering and volunteering. I am still processing our experience, but I think the most important life lesson I learned today was this: Run your race. Not your neighbor's race or your parent's race, not your idol's race or your children's race. Run your race...the one set and marked out for you when your days were written in the book. Run with courage, strength, faith and love.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1 NIV