Encouraged by three triathlete friends, I signed up for the 2020 Marathon des Chateaux du Medoc. Although I had completed several unofficial (“friendly”) long distance walks before this, I had never contemplated anything quite so formal and organised. The challenge turned out to be rather more protracted than anticipated, with the Covid years intervening, but I eventually completed the marathon on 2nd September 2023, with two of those triathletes running by my side from start to finish. Essentials in preparing for the marathon, and for completion A clear end goal Expert advice and coaching Sustenance, hydration, recovery/rest periods, the right shoes are all essential A training programme, broken down by milestones Commitment, determination, perseverance, discipline Encouragement and support from friends and family, and those who have done this before – in the training and throughout the race Pace, direction, energy and enthusiasm Lessons learned A marathon is not a sprint – there are times when it feels easy, and times when it is very hard indeed. The “wall” is real! Reaching (and celebrating) milestones en route makes all the difference and keeps you going Going at your own pace is OK Taking part, trying your hardest, giving your best are just as memorable as earning the finisher’s medal Thinking back over the months (and years) of training, and the event itself, I can see parallels with our lives as Christians, running the race for God. We each have a different journey, a different race to run. Only we can run our race, the race set before us. Even in my Medoc marathon, with 8,000 participants, no one else took exactly the same footsteps as me. Others supported and encouraged me, paced me, talked me through the difficult bits, wiped my tears and hugged me when I was sad and tired. But only I completed my race, surrounded as I was by a great cloud of witnesses. There are many Bible verses which refer to running the race, pressing on towards the goal including: Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Isaiah 40:28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings. like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Discussion points What do we see as our Christian race?  What is its purpose? What is the goal? What hinders us, gets in our way? How do we stay on course, and keep going? What can we do for others running the race? As a community? As individuals?

A final Bible verse which has accompanied me throughout my adult life: 1 Chronicles 28:20 (from the Living Bible) Then he continued, “Be strong and courageous and get to work. Don’t be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord my God is with you; he will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly.”