Race Etiquette

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." - 1 Corinthians 9:24

Maybe I should have read this verse as my devotional this morning before I ran in my first race since leaving the US. Wearing, of course, the same shoes I wore in my last race, a mini-marathon in July of 2009 in Oregon, because they don't have shoes here large enough for my feet. But I can't complain about the shoes, they were fine, better than others' apparently as there were at least three runners carrying their shoes and finishing in socked feet. Who knows?

However, the heat might merit a complaint or two. Does anyone remember the Chicago Marathon of 2007, where they had to cancel the race because of the heat, it was 88 degrees. Here, today it is 99℉. I carried a frozen bag of chocolate milk in my pocket to stay cool, I couldn't find the little bagged waters in the store, turns out the race must have bought all of them in the entire city. BTW, chocolate milk--not so thirst quenching.

I really had no idea what to expect going into it. I almost never see runners around the city, so I had unrealistic visions of prize money dancing in my head. Little did I know, just how unrealistic. The newspaper this morning said there were 5,000 runners signed up. I guess in a city of 2 million, 1 in 400 people would sign up for a free race. Free meant more runners, no safety pins, no chips for the shoes, and t-shirts for only the first 200 finishers.

So, you're dying of suspense I know. Did I get a t-shirt, did I win prize money, did I even finish? Turns out, not wearing a watch for over a year is not a good way to train for a race, nor to know how you did in one lacking a finish clock. I thought to look at my phone a bit after the race, and estimate that I finished in about 50 minutes, which I'm happy with because we didn't cross the starting line for a couple minutes and an 8 minute pace isn't bad when you've been training at about 12-13 minute miles.

However, my running comrade Misty, says she talked to one of the womens' finalist who finished in 35 minutes, oh my! Even if I hadn't made the mistake of starting in the middle of the pack, behind a couple thousand runners/walkers who've had little opportunity to run in races and learn running etiquette like where to start based on your expected pace and how to maybe get out of the way when you decide to stop and walk in front of a stampede of runners. But passing people is a lot more fun than being passed, and I only got passed by one female the entire race, so that's something. Next time I'll know what I'm up against and be better prepared to follow Paul's advice in 1 Cor. Maybe I'll even update my footwear, or get a watch!

Now, back to the real race: "...my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." - Acts 20:24