don’t go it alone

Well, its almost a week later, after my first race.  I’ve basked in the glory.  I’ve nursed sore muscles.  I’ve planned for the future and I’ve thought.  a lot.   There were a lot of things that I learned from running my first 5K.  But there is one particular lesson that I am trying to take to heart.

On the morning of the big day, I was feeling good.  I had trained and I was ready.  As the start time approached, I looked around and realized something really important.  A lot of people had a running buddy.  They were there with someone;  a friend to help them keep their pace, to encourage, or to distract…

Personally, I had trained alone.  I enjoy the refreshment that comes with exercising by myself, so running on my own didn’t seem strange.  I tend towards the independent side anyway, so what’s the big deal right?  Surely I could run a little 5K race, a short 30-40 minutes by myself.  No biggie.

After that first mile, I realized how wrong I was.  I had no idea how much I was going to wish there was someone with more experience running at my side.  Or maybe a friend to simply remind me I was strong and I could do it.  But there was no one, and no amount of wishing was going to fix it.  And so, I had to try to pace myself, which I was terrible at in the middle of all the excitement. And I had to encourage myself, which I could barely form a thought after about the first mile…

There was a reason all of those other runners had a partner.  and I was learning why mid-race.

This is not unlike my life as a believer.  And let me just say, that as a follower of Christ, I do realize that I am never alone.  I know that there is Jesus, who by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit never leaves me or forsakes me.  However, I do find myself of “loner” mind-set, trying to make it by myself, when really there’s another way.  There are others running the race, following Christ.  And He says, don’t do the race alone; love one another, encourage one another, pace your steps together and help each other if you fall.

I realized this week, after all of this soul-searching, that I am probably not the only one running alone.  As much as I need encouragement, there is probably someone who needs the same.   I may need to give up a bit of my pride and my “I’ll go it alone” attitude, so that I can run well, and maybe so that someone else can run well too.

I’m training for another race in May, hopefully.  But, in the meantime, I’m hoping to gather some new running buddies – not just for race day, but for life.  It is my prayer that God will guide each footstep and pace my journey. But here is fair warning: If you and I cross paths, I might just ask you to run with me…  I have no intention of going it alone, if I don’t have to.