The Race

This weekend I participated in my first ever multi-sport competition, a women's-only duathlon. The race consisted of a two-kilometer run, followed by a hilly 10-mile bike ride, and another two-kilometer run. Since I run or cycle most days, anyway, I figured it would be fairly simple to combine the two activities into one fun event.

But, if you've never hopped off your bike and attempted to run even six steps, you probably have no idea how rebellious the human leg muscles can be. The transition from cycling to running triggers a phenomenon called--with good reason--the grip. Simply put, in cycling the quadriceps propel you forward, while in running you mainly use the hamstrings. Quickly switching from one mode of locomotion to the other causes both legs, from calves to hips, to tighten up and scream, "I quit."

That little challenge notwithstanding, the duathlon was definitely as much fun as I thought it would be. With only women participating, it was competitive . . . but kinder and gentler than your typical all-comer's event. In fact, during both of the round trip run routes, every person I encountered threw me an encouraging word, smile, or wave--and usually all three. Not wanting to seem rude, I managed a polite grunt in return, even though I was sucking wind.

My cycling stint got off to a bumpy start. Pushing my bike, I ran out of the transition area, per the race instructions, and proceeded to fling myself aboard. However, mid-fling, an official pointed out that there was yet one more painted line on the asphalt just ahead to be crossed before mounting, so I clumsily attempted to defy physics and reverse my action. Gravity won out as the bike went down and I flew over the handle bars. Happily, this put me well past the line, with my bike close enough to drag across as well.

Even with the resulting bloodied knee and bruised shin, the competition was exhilarating and extremely satisfying. It was a great reminder of why the apostle Paul so often described the Christian life using athletic terms--run with endurance; press on toward the goal; discipline your body. Paul's point is clear: Christianity is not a spectator sport.

But it's also not about mindless calisthenics that you do because you think you should, while hating every minute. Rather, the Christ-centered life is rewarding and exciting, and it gets the adrenaline flowing. And just when you find yourself settling into a comfortable pace, beware--God might just decide to change things up to challenge your mind, stretch your muscles, and give you a taste of the grip.