Run The Route

Run the Route

Wise athletes, runners included, listen to their coaches and do what they say, trusting the coaches’ wisdom. That’s what God told Joshua as he was taking over as leader of the Israelites on their march to the Promised Land. Moses had been the leader and had left instructions for Joshua. So God told him:

Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. (Joshua 1:6-7)

Twice in this passage, God encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous. That makes sense because Joshua had been given a tough assignment. Then God told Joshua to follow his “coach” Moses’ instructions, emphasizing that point with this statement: “Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left.” That sounds like a runner, keeping focused on the course and the goal.

Along the racecourse, especially over long distances, runners will encounter many distractions—thoughts, obstacles, spectators, sounds, and sights. Any of these can slow a runner down and may even get him or her off course. Successful runners stay focused as they run the route.

The Runner

This was the day for Trevor’s longest run yet—five miles. Until now he had been a regular jogger and had hit the three-mile mark a couple of times. But he decided to make the move to the next level, and he knew he was ready. He was excited about the challenge, but was dreading it as well, figuring he’d probably be exhausted at the end.

So Trevor put on his running outfit and laced up his shoes in the garage. On his way out the door, he spotted a rake on the lawn that he had forgotten to put away after raking the leaves the previous afternoon. Walking to the rake, he saw some papers and a plastic bottle that had blown into his yard during the night, so he grabbed the trash and the rake and started back to the garage. The plastic bottle reminded him that he probably should grab his water bottle and bring it out for after his run, so he went in to get it.

Then he thought, I probably should eat an energy bar because I’ll be running longer today, and he went to the pantry to retrieve one. As he walked back to the door, Trevor noticed he had tracked in some leaves and dirt from the yard. Sally will kill me, he thought. I’d better take care of that right now before she gets home. He removed his dirty shoes, got out the vacuum cleaner, and took care of the mess.

But thinking of his wife and her possible reaction reminded him that she had asked him to take the meat out of the freezer to thaw. Phew—almost forgot, he thought, as he quickly returned to the kitchen and put the meat on the counter.

He had just taken a few steps away when he decided he should probably put a paper towel under the package in case anything leaked out—but the holder was empty. Where does she keep those towels? Trevor wondered as he searched the kitchen.

Just then the phone rang. Trevor answered and took a lengthy message for his teenage daughter. “Now, where was I?” he muttered and resumed his search for the towels. . . .

The Race

At times you may have felt like Trevor—wanting to accomplish a goal, perhaps a long run, but dreading it at the same time. In the process, you become easily distracted. Hmmm—we can wonder if Trevor ever got started.

We’ve already looked at the issue of shortcuts—that’s one tactic Satan uses to get us off our course of following Christ. But other distractions can cause problems. Sometimes something good can keep us from what is best for us, or a worthy pursuit can pull us away from the direction God wants us to go. That would be like a runner stopping to pose for pictures, to text a friend, to make a deposit at an ATM, or to have a political debate with a spectator in the middle of a race. Those aren’t bad activities, but they would distract and impede the runner and keep him or her from reaching the goal. We may forgo worship for another activity, scrimp and save for a family vacation but stop tithing in the process, or even ignore someone in obvious need while rushing to choir practice. In other words, our priorities can get out of whack.

Other distractions can turn out to be detours and take us way off course.

The Result

Put yourself in Joshua’s place and hear God’s clear instructions: “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions [that I have given you]. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.”

God has given us his Word filled with timeless truths. Through it he tells us how to live, how to be successful for him—how to win his race. Don’t be distracted. Run your route.

My Story

My friend Sam was big on running, and I would think, Man, is he crazy! Running had never been my thing. Personally, I thought it was suicide. But when the words “You should do cross-country” slipped from his mouth one day, I couldn’t help but consider it.

I knew I needed more exercise. Besides, I told myself, it will help me to have more energy for basketball and be the fastest one down the court. Eventually I listened to that small voice in my head and decided that I would do cross-country in the fall.

When I started training in July, I could barely run a mile at my very slow jogging pace. But God wouldn’t let me quit. I was completely motivated to keep at it, and I slowly improved. By the end of the summer I was able to run three miles, but I had no idea how slow my pace really was.

Cross-country began in late August. The exercise was basic, and I rolled my eyes at the many people I watched walk. But this confidence didn’t last long. As my first full week of practice progressed, my legs began giving way, and my shins felt as if they had been glued to a hot stove. I developed shin splints in both of my legs, slowing me down and causing me to miss the first two meets of the season.

Frustrated, I wasn’t giving up. I watched with my jaw locked as my best friend, Erin, who was also a beginner, rapidly progressed. She quickly became one of the best runners on our eighth-grade girls team. I was still stuck near the back.

After one meet where I came in third to last, I got off the bus on the verge of tears. I couldn’t take it. Why wasn’t I improving as fast as everyone else? My shins were still throbbing, and I couldn’t run on the weekends because I needed to give them a rest. I felt useless. But every time I thought about quitting, something stopped me. Imagining Erin’s and Sam’s disappointed faces kept me going. No matter what I did, I wasn’t going to be a quitter.

At our last home meet, something changed. Instead of being frustrated with how badly I’d performed, I decided just to be happy with how hard I had worked. On the final stretch, my friend Kelly cheered me on alongside me, giving me the last bit of motivation I needed to finish in a full-out sprint. I wasn’t letting the girl behind me beat me. I smiled as I finished. I had done it! I had left her completely in the dust. As I limped back to my team, I couldn’t help but reflect on the way I had reacted when I’d finished.

The season soon came to an end. The weather during the conference meet was cold and windy. My legs felt frozen, wearing only running shorts. Halfway through the race, I developed horrible cramps in my calves that wouldn’t go away. This was the most painful race yet.

But it was my best race of the season. I sprinted the final stretch, almost beating the girl far in front of me. Afterward, I had to put my arms behind my head to keep myself from throwing up. It was the fastest I had ever run two miles, and boy, was it satisfying!

Cross-country is probably the most frustrating, difficult sport I’ve ever done. In a way, I’ve grown to love it. God had his reasons for pushing me through this season—he always does. I’ve honestly enjoyed my running experience so far and know I’ll always be running—maybe not on a cross-country team, but I’ll always run. I’ll never think of running as being a “suicidal” sport ever again.

Kaitlyn

Think It Through

1. What distractions have you encountered in races you’ve run?

2. When have you seen believers pulled off their spiritual course by giving in to temptations? When have you been tempted that way?

3. Which “good” activities have caused you to be distracted from pursuing the “best”?

4. What can you do to stay focused on doing what God wants, not “turning either to the right or to the left”?

On Running

What dietary goals should I have?

If you are running to lose weight, feel well, and do your best in races, dietary goals are important. As a consistent runner, you will need to consume food and calories differently than other people—different types and ratios. Your dietary goals should not just relate to your daily consumption, but also to how you eat prior to, during, and after a race. By having these goals (a plan), you’ll likely feel better and see more success in your races and weight loss.