Not Finishing Isn’t a Failure
The phrase “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should” came to mind. I was watching my sons jump their bikes over some pretty decent size mounds of dirt and while it looked fun I thought the risk was just a wee too much for my liking. I had a lot of responsibilities on my plate in the coming days, including a 105-mile bike ride and a 100-mile run, and while flying through the air seemed like fun it had the potential for a gnarly landing and broken bones. The boys made it look easy but upon closer inspection the jumps looked like more like a good way to eject my body off a bike seat than anything else.
You may have jumped the jumps and that’s all fine and good; but that phrase “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should” entered the conversation in other areas besides the bike park. In fact, I’d say it was the theme for both of the long endurance races I did on consecutive weekends.
Now people enter races for many reasons. Some race to win. Some race to finish. Some race for the medals or trophies. Some just want the experience. Most times we race to run OUR race! Races are personal and the path to them and through them are unique to us. I have a lot of experiences running races and I’ve grown through all of those experiences. We tend to run a race for ourselves and that’s ok!
Both the 105 mile mountain bike race and the 100 mile run are part of a series in Leadville, Colorado. Leadville, and in particular these races, are tough as nails and require some hearty living. The town promotes this in the races and there’s definitely a grit that’s personified in completing these races. There is a lot of banter and encouragement for the athletes to do more than they think they can, to dig deep, and to push harder. I noticed it’s burnt into the psyche of most participants because I heard a lot of self-talk and motivational jabbering along the race routes. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
So when I was pedaling across the sky in the mountain bike race I found myself in a weird situation. I saw the leader of the women’s professional field off to the side of the trail, frantically trying to fix a flat tire. It was my race so there was absolutely a precedent to keep my head down and pedal on. I had a belt buckle to earn! But in a moment of weakness or perhaps empathy I pulled over and we started to fix the flat together. She was a bit hysterical but as I have found over the years that’s not a good tactic when it comes to bike repairs. It was better to have 4 hands and two heads in this situation.
We wrestled with her tire long enough for it to hold just a little bit of air and get down the mountain to her crew. She was convinced her race was over. I was adamant that in time those women would eventually tire out and come back to her. She rode off and I packed up my stuff and tried not to think of the 10 minutes I lost trying to fix a tire. I could have saved those 10 minutes but maybe I wasn’t supposed to.
The next weekend I found myself at the start of the 100 mile run. As this day crept closer I became increasingly aware of our time crunch from the point of possibly completing the run to the time we had to be at the airport 2 hours away. It wasn’t going to be pretty for us to pull off this race, and pack, and drive, then have my family fly while I drove the 28 hours home. It was a heavy lift. And that’s beyond the actual running 100 miles! Just because we could didn’t mean we should!
So as a little change of plans I opted to run with a friend. And it was great! I had no firm plans other to take it one mile at a time and serve as another set of eyes, ears, and tackle this monster race with a buddy. It was awesome to run, to talk about a wide, wide range of topics, and generally see the sights that not many get to see. He was determined to finish the 100 and I was determined to get him as far as I could. Could I have run the whole 100 on my own? Maybe. Do I have regrets about changing my race to experience something awesome with a friend? Absolutely not! Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
We ended up having the race turn into a bit of a survival session with a sprained ankle. It was good to be together and it was good to get to mile 50 with the feeling we did the best we could with what we had. There may be another time to finish all 100 miles. Or not. I’m not really sure. But I’m sure that the distance we covered was appropriate, adequate, and awesome.
What you can do versus what you should do. I’m afraid I’m not always in tune with that! Are you? While those races promote grit, guts, and potential glory I’m not sure that’s what we are are called to do…at least all of the time. To finish the competition you have to finish the race and often times finishing something means leaving others behind. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
These are not stories to give Josh a pity party or get an “atta boy”. The reality is my life, and your life, are a mission and a ministry. That can sound “churchy” but the way you live, your choice of words, and the timing of acts and services all tie into this. We have races to run but those races aren’t about our ability to complete the distance, it’s often how we run the race in the presence of others. Maybe it’s not about our race and place but more about the difference we make in others along the way. Your life carries a message and meaning that’s far above the tagline of a high-altitude race series. You can do a lot- but perhaps not all of what you do is the message you were meant to send!
Often times the pursuit of a fulfilled life mimics those slogans I saw at those races. It’s inspiring to a point but ultimately we focus on us for all of our strength and all of our meaning. Some know this and run that race according to their own ideas. But the reality is we don’t know what God is going to do with us, all the time. You may sense an area or purpose for a season but it’s also very possible that He will lead you minute by minute into opportunities you never saw coming. You have to be observant and attentive. You have to be willing and sometimes stop when the typical response would be to go. The race isn’t yours to bend to your own will and ideas after all. Sometimes the race does indeed require guts and grit. Other times it’s stopping to get others to get out of their grimy situation. We were all born sinners after all.
This is not a new phenomenon although I keep rambling about it! I came across the story of Jesus return from 40 days of fasting…you might know the story where the Devil tests him at His physically weakest moment. Jesus could do literally anything, at any time, but he resists the Devil and even counters his arguments with scripture. He had a ministry, a purpose, and could do anything He desired that day. But he didn’t. He could have done something supernatural and put an end to the Devil’s plan that day, even in Jesus’ vulnerable and weakened state. But Jesus ran a race so others would see and experience Him. He relied on His Father’s faithfulness, timing, and strength. There would be more to the story and to just finish things then and there would be to deny the amazing chapters to come and the personal interactions with a thirsty and hungry population. It wasn’t about winning a race at that time, it was being available so others could run their race with His presence. Just because He could didn’t mean He should. It wasn’t time…yet.
Just because you think you can doesn’t mean you should. Maybe that phrase saved me from breaking a collarbone at the bike park. But that phrase can allow God to work through you on behalf of others. Digging deep might get you a trophy but faith in action is a pretty sweet prize as well.
