Anything but Running!
Running is not for everyone. It’s why some of have stickers that have the distance they’ve traversed on their cars while others wear their “0.0” t-shirts with pride! It’s an activity that you either feel the joy and want to do it or you have found that it’s just not your thing; and that’s ok as well! There’s no shame in saving those miles for a time that matters, like running away from a bear or running to the fridge for a late snack! But you have to try running at some point to find out what it can do for you.
I would put myself in the group that finds joy from running. It’s not always easy and my face is not always smiling, but it sure feels good when I accomplish something. It started in 3rd grade when Ms. Sandri, my physical education teacher, asked my class if any of us wanted to try to run a whole mile around her coned-off course. My hand couldn’t stretch far enough into the sky I was so excited! That was the beginning and I haven’t stopped since, although I share time spinning the wheels on my bike these days.
So when I stood on the track this March I had to remember that not everyone loves running the way I do. There are always a few that find enjoyment in the discomfort and run on their own for fun and pleasure. They study times and workouts and eat, sleep, and dream about floating above the ground for miles at a time. But they aren’t everyone! My position as a track coach went even further; I was the “distance” coach and the kids under my wing would be running a bit more than the other members of the team. So while some ate up the thought of running multiple miles on multiple days of the week there were some who thought this whole running thing was crazy! The challenge is to get everyone to run “their” miles to the best of their ability.
As we started clocking some of our daily workouts I could see the work ethic of some of the eager runners rubbing off on the new runners. Soon a “normal” day was warming up, stretching, and running a few miles. We added in some strength stuff and did things as a pack. Sure, we all had different speeds and goals but the variety of paces and personalities gave the group a great vibe.
After 3 weeks of training I noticed a few kids wandering over from other events. Track and field has many events to choose from and while some think they are cut out to be good at one area they sometimes find out that their “good” isn’t quite “good enough” to want to stay in that area. Distance running is sometimes the last place a kid wants to end up because, well, it’s distance running and it’s difficult! Remember? There are more people out there that would choose that “0.0” sticker than a 26.2 sticker! So when a few guys wandered my way from other areas of the track I knew this was probably the last place they wanted to be but the best option for a future! Distance running is work but it is inclusive if you are willing to put one foot in front of the other. There’s discomfort and some long sections of the required endurance involved but if the kids wanted to be there and asked to be part of our group I wasn’t going to deny them the opportunity.
As our little slice of the track team developed and spent time together I noticed a common theme. Most of the kids ended up in this sport due to being shown the door from another sport. Many played other sports but gave them up due to coaching personalities, too much time commitment, or the love simply vanished. Many didn’t take up track as their passion, rather they faced rejection from something else that pushed them towards track.
Three of the team members that took the leap into track are seniors. One is enjoying his second year of track after devoting much of his childhood to baseball and basketball; he currently has some of the fastest times in the state in the 400 meter run. The other two signed up for track on a whim after leaving their sports a few years ago. The last few months of high school created a desire to be part of something, be part of a team, and while they spent a few weeks bouncing around other areas of the track they are now thriving and experiencing a world they never saw coming. They are equally surprised that they are now “distance” runners but that’s the door that was open for them to walk into.
There may be coaching tips, techniques, and guidelines that walk this out far better than I can explain. There may be a scientific reason behind the sociology of teenagers on a track team. But the best way I can explain what I see is redemption. There was a small group of kids that lived and practiced in a way that was appealing to others. And there were circumstances in the lives of others that made them question what they were going to do next. And finally there was an invitation asked and a “sure, come on over and we’ll work at this!” answer. There’s a spot on the team no matter how they ended up there. Some took a direct line to running while others had zig zags, u-turns, and pauses. No matter what the journey looked like to get to March of 2022 there was an invitation for all to give this crazy thing called “distance running” a whirl.
I’m rambling on here about track and field life at a small high school but I know it preaches to life’s bigger questions as well. Can you relate to being at a place you never thought you would be? Does life have some massive challenges? Do we struggle to see how something good can come from something so bad? Maybe we are on a path of going down a path that seems artificial and fake and just can’t take the leap to go another direction. Like endurance running, life is just plain hard sometimes. But we have two choices to choose from. We can scoff and scowl at the situation and harden our hearts. Become jaded and angry. Or, we can ask to be included in something that sure seems like a stretch but has hope and a future written all over it. It might mean letting go. Forgiving. Doing something so radical that you never saw yourself doing.
Long ago there were two thieves sharing a spot on a hillside with Jesus. Death was certain and time was running out. They were nailed to a cross and rejected by society. But as time crept towards the finish line on earth they had one last opportunity. One scoffed and sulked in his immediate circumstances with forever implications. He rejected anything that was beyond his imagination or comprehension. And the other took a chance and asked to be part of something bigger than himself. I’m sure he never imagined being on a cross and tortured. It’s not what anyone aspires to be…and yet here he was. But next to him was the author of a future for you and me. And this one thief knew it and took advantage of the one thing that remained on offer; an eternal life with Jesus. So he asked, he received, and the remaining moments of his life on earth had purpose and peace.
Time’s never out and you are never too late. Some of the stories of rejection in other sports really put my runners in a bit of a funk for some time but God put them on the track at a unique and perfect time. They are running out their high school days with experiences and opportunities that light them up! If that can happen for a high school track team it can certainly happen to the rest of us with our lives. Pivot. Make a move. Go towards the door God still has open for you and ask for help! Don’t grow cold. Don’t get jaded. And never, ever, give up on being an endurance runner!
