It was cold and wet on Saturday morning as I headed out the door to run the Reindeer Run 5k. We had planned to run as a family but the foul weather persuaded everyone else to stay in bed as I headed out the door. I didn't win and I didn't lose, as usual I finished in about the top 20% of runners.
There weren't that many of us running the race and after the first 3k there was about a hundred yard gap between me and the person in front of me. There was one other person about ten yards behind me and then another gap of one hundred yards behind them.
With about half a mile to go I got a sense that there was going to be a race to the line between the two of us. I'd paced the race for this guy and felt like he was closing in on my shoulder just waiting to pounce. With about 300 yards to go I could hear his pace quicken and without turning round I kicked into another gear and kept my lead. With 75 yards to go it was an all out sprint for the finish, he never caught me.
As I crossed the finish line I turned round and we greeted one another. Neither of us had won the race but we both enjoyed the challenge of finishing strong and racing across the line.
The apostle Paul reminds us to strain, "toward what is ahead" and to "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Run well and finish strong!
