The Ironman Triathlon

THE IRONMAN TRIATHLON is a grueling test of endurance. Athletes must swim for more than two-and-a-quarter miles, bike over 111 miles, and run a full marathon in excess of 26 miles. For many people that would be a week’s . . . or maybe a month’s worth of activity. But at the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, competitors complete the course in about a third of a day.

At the 2003 Hawaii Ironman, Canada’s Peter Reid outworked the competition to win his third championship. Reid had been experiencing a disappointing season heading into the World Championships. His training had gone well, but he couldn’t put anything together in a race. On the advice of a past champion, Reid went to Hawaii early and started training by himself. He pushed himself on solitary seven-hour bike rides and long runs to sharpen himself physically and mentally. And on race day, his efforts paid off.

Reid completed the ocean swim in 50 minutes, 36 seconds. Next he jumped on the bike and pedaled out a time of 4 hours, 40 minutes, and 4 seconds. Transitioning into the run, Reid found himself neck and neck with Belgium’s Rutger Beke. Reid beat Beke by nearly seven minutes in the marathon to earn the title.

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POINT The Hawaii Ironman is the toughest and most competitive triathlon in the world. Winning it once is an amazing feat. Only three athletes have claimed two victories. Two men, Dave Scott and Mark Allen, earned six wins apiece. And with his 2003 championship, Peter Reid tallied his third title. Many athletes try to rise to the top, but few claim multiple victories.

The same thing can be true in the Christian church. Many people have good intentions of spreading God’s Word, but few step forward and do it. Jesus told his followers that many people wanted to hear his truth, but the workers were few.

The world hasn’t changed that much. There still aren’t enough Christians to tell all the people on the earth about Jesus.

GOAL! Pray that God will send out more workers. Will you be available to rise to the top and work in the heavenly Father’s harvest?