CCC 28-4_LR

PASS IT ON

John Trent, Ph.D. WHEN THE FINISH LINE IS IN SIGHT

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I’m a “slow distance” jogger, but I am persistent. I have run the Arizona Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-marathon 17 times here in Arizona. However, I learned something from the very first race that I want to challenge you with. It is something that I failed at in my first race, but also something that has helped me every race and year since. And, yes, it ties in with a lesson that I think the Lord calls each of us to con sider. In my first half-marathon, I used the “Jeff Galloway Run/Walk” method of long-distance running, which many beginning runners adopt: run for eight minutes, then walk for one minute. You do that over and over for the entire 13.2 miles, which absolutely helps you push through the miles and finish the run. However, for me, it also meant

that my sports watch timer went off at mile 13 in a 13.2 mile race. We were so close to the finish line. At that point in the course, hundreds of people lined the roadway… all there to support and cheer the thousands of runners. But when my timer went off, I pulled over and walked for one minute. In large part, it was because the course took a hard left turn right at the very end, so I couldn’t see the finish line . When I started running again, it was right there in front of me. To close the loop on this story and share with you the challenge I believe the Lord sets before each of us, I only did that once. The next 16 times I ran that race, I sped up instead of slowing down at the finish. This leads me to the challenge I would like to set before

34 Christian Counseling Connection