Last year I decided I wanted to branch out from just running and decided to do a triathlon. I thought, it can't be that hard, I know I can run, I often cycle the 15 miles to work and back and I was brought up in Cornwall swimming is in my blood!
So I found a local triathlon and decided to give the organiser a call.
"This is a good tri to do as a first one isn't it?" "Oh yes" She said "Lots of people choose this for their first tri"
So I booked a place even though it was only in a few weeks time, but I was sure I would be fine, I was fit and I knew I would be OK in all the different stages. Just to be safe I thought I better go to the pool and check I could swim the 800m I would need to in the race; which I managed without any real problems.
So fast forward a few weeks to race day and there I stood, all ready to go, gear set up in the transition area feeling slightly nervous. Then I noticed something, my cheap halfords racing bike was blatantly the cheapest bike there by over £1000. I didn't see anyone else who looked like this was their first tri; everyone there was in their team training gear and looked like they were all taking this extremely seriously. It was at that moment I thought this really is not going to go well!
The weather was awful, really raining, but this didn't really bother me as I was in a wet suit stood up to my waist in water ready to start the swim. The sea was also quite choppy, but that should not be too much of a problem should it?
The race started and I set off swimming, like a rocket, perfect technique, swimming through the water like a fish. But then after about 50m I suddenly realised swimming in the sea against the waves and tide is a lot more difficult than swimming in the pool! I started to struggle to get enough air into my lungs; and before I knew it my perfect swimming form had turned into a weird half drowning doggy paddle!
I made the 800m swim (just!) but I was the last person out of the water, I ran to the transition area, well I say ran, I challenge anyone to swim 800m then get out of the water and try to run! It must have been very funny to watch. I quickly took my wetsuit off and jumped onto my bike. I could not see anyone up ahead, but I do a lot of cycling, so I was sure I could catch someone up!
But here is where mistake number two came in. Yes I do lots of riding on my bike, but I look at the weather forecast and if the weather looks bad take the car to work. But here I was on tiny racing tires in the
rain trying to cycle fast. It dawned on me; I had never ridden my bike in the rain before! I tried to get some speed up, but on windy country lanes, in the rain I quickly found out handling the bike was not as easy as in the sunshine! But I kept on going.
Towards the end of the 13 mile bike ride I was feeling quite fed up and sorry for myself, but the most demoralizing part was yet to come. The race organiser's land rover started to follow me, and at each lamp post they stopped and took down the race direction signs. They were literally packing up behind me!
At one point I even had to cycle about 100m past my house. The temptation to take the easy way out and turn left, go home and then pick up my car later was massive. But I knew I would regret taking the easy way out so stuck with it.
I finally finished the bike ride, got to the transition area, and set of for the 4 mile cross country run. As I set off I asked one of the organisers, "How far ahead is the next person?" "About 15minutes ahead mate, you may as well give up!" was their reply!
Well thanks for the support and encouragement! I thought, but there was no way I was giving up now. There was also no chance of me catching anyone else up, but that didn't matter, my only aim now was to finish and be able to say I had completed a triathlon.
The run was uneventful, it hurt, in fact I would say it was more painful than the last few miles of the marathon I did. But I made it around. As I came around the last corner, I expected to still see people there to cheer me across the finish line. But to my dismay there was no finish line! They had packed it up and almost everyone had gone home! But I had done it, I crossed where the finish line would have been and the feeling was amazing. I did not care I had been last, I was just happy I had stuck with it and had
competed in a triathlon!
So why am I telling this story? Well me and one of my mates have been talking lots about triathlons recently. He wants to compete in his first one and we often have a laugh and a joke about me coming last in the one I did. But it has also made me think lots about my spiritual life.
The Bible has many references to running races, and there is good reason for that. Life can be very much like a race.
Firstly we need to put the training in. I blatantly didn't for this triathlon, I over estimated my abilities and underestimate the race. To live a good Christian life we need to put training in, we need to put time and
effort into reading the Bible and praying. We also can't overestimate our spiritual abilities and underestimate the power of the enemy! Doing that can have disastrous consequences.
We also need to think and fit our spiritual training to the areas where we think we are going to be challenged. If you think there is an area of your life where you will be tempted of struggle pray about it and train yourself through reading the Bible. Fit your training to where you think you will be tested, as there is no point training in the pool and being tested in the sea! There is also no point in being a fair weather cyclist if you have to race in the rain!
Time will always come which are hard, there will always be ways and times when your spiritual resolve and integrity will be tested. But dig deep and hang in there. I could have just cycled home, given up and not have had to struggle with the rest of the race. But I would have regretted that for the rest of my life. This can happen in our spiritual life as well. We can be tempted to go back into the world, slip back into old habits or take the easy way out even though we know it's not the right thing to do. But don't! I would have regretted giving up the race for the rest of my life. I would end up regretting turning my back on Jesus for eternity!
Don't be put off by others. I was intimidated right from the start by everyone at that race. They all looked so much better off than me; they had all the proper racing gear and looked the part. Often in Church it is easy to be put off by other people. They may have more than us, or always seem to get what they want, or seem to be more Holy. But that does not matter. Don't be intimidated by them.
Lastly don't listen to the person who tells you "You may as well just give up!" At the end of the day its down to you, its your race, its down to you to run it, and it is you who will get the satisfaction of completing it, wither you come first to cheers from all the crowds, or last to a packed up finish line!
Hang in there, stick with it when times are tough, don't listen to the words of the world when they tell you that you are wrong or that you are a freak for what you believe. Because one thing is sure; when you persevere and finish the spiritual race the finish line in heaven will not be packed away!
Hebrews 12 1-3
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,
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. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
The Sailing Salvationist
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