This past weekend, our island hosted the Daufuskie Island Marathon, with a 13.1-mile course that allowed for participants to attempt to complete either a half marathon or a full marathon. A few hundred people saw fit to get on a ferry and come to our island, just for the opportunity to run around it, and they were joined by more than a few people who live here who also thought that running around for several hours was a good idea. I guess it makes sense when you consider that one of the mottos for those of us that live here is “We’re here, because we’re not all there.”
What amazed me was the diversity of the participants. When I think of marathon runners, I think of those elite athletes who compete at the highest levels, in events like the Olympics. Those runners tend to be younger (okay, less than 40), with seemingly zero bodyfat, in peak condition. While there were certainly some who fit that description, most did not. Competing (and completing) the race were young and old, short and tall, lean and not so lean. Some moved fast, and others moved just fast enough to finish. Some looked like they could do another lap, while some looked like one more step might just kill them. Yet the one thing that they all had in common was an intense desire to finish a task that most of us would never want to begin.
My wife was one of the several ladies on the island who decided to participate in the half-marathon. From the comfort of my bed, I watched as my wife arose at 5:30 am to put on athletic attire and head out of the house, to meet up with her FIA (Females in Action) buddies at 6:00 am. These ladies had been exercising together for several months prior to making the decision to participate in the half-marathon, but once the decision was made, the daily efforts became more focused. The goal was established, the commitment to that goal was made, and from that point forward, all that was required was putting in the work. Now, my wife has done something that most of us will never do, and she will forever be able to say that she completed a half-marathon.
The reality revealed by this race is that most of us have within us the ability to finish at least a half-marathon – if we are willing to put in the work required to do it. However, most of us prefer our life of comfort too much to push our bodies with training, preferring to use that time for more leisurely pursuits. Frankly, we’re all capable of so much more than we will do, but we shy away from putting in the work required. Athletic endeavors require physical training, but there are intellectual efforts like learning a new language that require training our brains, and these efforts are possible for us to accomplish as well – if we are willing to put in the work.
Would you consider training for your own metaphorical half-marathon? Set a goal to do something or learn something that will require stretching and pushing yourself, then tell someone else about it so that they can encourage you along the way. Then make the commitment to yourself, and put in the work. In one year’s time, you may find yourself experiencing the satisfaction of accomplishing something that shows what you are truly capable of.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron