Run Your Own Race

One of my favorite running sayings is “run your own race.” It is an important reminder when I connect with other runners and trade running goals. I have to appreciate that my crappy pace might be someone else’s target pace and restrain my competitive side so I don’t get sucked into adopting someone else’s (more ambitious) goal as my own.

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The saying first hit home years ago, when I was recovering from an injury. I was glad just to be out on the bike path running and didn’t care how many others passed me. I reminded myself that I might be doing a “long slow run” while someone else is doing a “tempo” run, or that while I was training for a 9 min/mile pace, that woman who just cruised by could have her eyes set on a sub-8:00 pace.

Running is an individual sport, and we all have to set our own goals, train our own way, and run our own race.

My priest is training to run a half marathon with his daughter, and shared in a recent sermon that he has learned the hard way that he can’t train her way, but can do better than he thought if he trains his way–a slower pace up hills, longer walking breaks, shorter runs. He morphed this into a sermon about how we also have to pray in our own way.

He noted that Jesus discusses three places where we pray: at the temple, at home, and in our “closet.” At the temple (church), we come together for corporate worship and can draw on the faith of others to strengthen our own faith. At home, we can talk with close friends and family members about our faith, and share our questions and beliefs more intimately. In the closet–when we spend time alone with God–we can deepen our personal relationship with God.

He warned us that in the months to come he is going to be encouraging us to spend more time alone with God, and trying to help us figure out our own “best” way of praying. By strengthening our inner relationship with God, we will be better prepared to run our own race in the world.

Just thinking about praying in terms of training has been inspirational. I think I approach prayer like I approach fitness–with cross-training. I pray by reading, writing, listening to the Morning Prayer podcast, praying silently, and on my walks. I also tend to skimp on prayer time, just like I skimp on stretching. Luckily God is more forgiving than an ITB injury!

How do you spend time alone with God?