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It was a 4 am wake-up in Augusta. Certainly not a time of day I usually start my mornings. But it was race day, and my husband and I were the support team for our son’s first half Ironman.
As we made our way through the crowds, went from place to place, and waited in the heat of the day for another glimpse of him, I found myself thinking about what it takes to reach a finish line. In our son’s case, it was 70.3 miles.
As we watched the race unfold, I couldn’t help but think about what he was going through. I thought about all the early morning training sessions he did leading up to race day. All the hard work, the countless hours logged. Did he have what it takes to finish? His body had trained. I knew how hard he had worked, especially on the swim. Would it carry him through race day?
I went to Augusta to cheer for our son as he faced his first Ironman. I came home with a few lessons to consider.
Saying Yes
Long before race day, my son had to decide he wanted to do this. Signing up was probably the easiest of decisions. Determination, making time, and sacrificing to train was another. Day in and day out, he had to start his days well before sunrise to get all the training in.
Most endeavors we choose start with enthusiasm and energy. We decide to sign up for a race, learn a new instrument, begin a new ministry, work on a relationship, or take a step we have been putting off. Desire is important, but it takes more than desire. Signing up for a race won’t get us across the finish line.
Determination says, “I’m going to start.”
Staying Through the Hard Stretch
The energy and euphoria we have at the start of a race will only carry us so far. At some point, when there are many miles ahead, and the day grows hotter, endurance is what keeps you going.
I know we all can relate to that feeling in other parts of life. Work that once felt exciting can become tiring or routine. A commitment asks more of us than we considered. Progress is taking too long. Sometimes that means slowing down more than we’d like or taking a short rest so we can regroup and keep going.
Endurance says, “I can stay with what is difficult today.”
Beginning Again
Endurance will help us get through a hard stretch or a valley moment. Perseverance is necessary when interruptions slow us or stop our progress.
A setback can make us question the whole undertaking. We may need to pause, reassess, ask for help, or take a different route. Starting again after that takes humility, discipline, and resolve.
My son struggled greatly with the swimming component of the race. He spent hundreds of hours in the pool and reached out to coaches, but he still seemed to hit a mental wall when it came to swimming the 1.2-mile requirement. Setback after setback made me wonder whether he could swim the course. And if you can’t complete the swim, race day is over. It certainly tested him. But he kept at it, tried another approach, learned about the mental game of being an athlete, and just took the next step until race day.
Perseverance says, “I can take another step.”
Facing What is Hard
As I watched our son race, I thought about courage. Something I am personally working on. Courage is showing up for something you know will stretch you. Courage is fortitude. It is continuing when you don’t know the outcome and can’t see the finish.
We need courage whether we are parenting, struggling through a relationship, at work, in school, or answering what we believe God is asking of us. We may feel afraid, discouraged, or even defeated; however, we still choose to move forward, do our best, and, as my husband always says, “leave the outcome to God.”
Fortitude says, “With God’s help, I can face this.”
Returning to the Commitment
By the time we saw our son finish, I was thinking beyond the 70.3 miles. A finish line makes it worthwhile and makes all the effort visible. But so much of what brought him there happened when no one was watching. In fact, most happened while I was sleeping.
That is what steadfastness is for me: sticking to our commitment. We may need fresh determination, endurance, perseverance, and courage along the way. The cheers of the crowd along the Ironman course made a huge difference. The participants knew we were there, rooting for and encouraging them. I you can, find some encouragers on your path.
Steadfastness says, “Stay firm in purpose.”
The Course Before Us
I often wish our lives offered a clearly marked course with directional signs, but that is rarely the case. We may discover that the faithful thing is to keep going, rest, accept help, or even change direction. What matters is staying attentive to the Lord as He helps us take the next step.
St. Paul writes, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on…” (Philippians 3:12). St. Paul’s honesty brings me comfort. He has not yet arrived, however, he continues “Pressing on,” and that takes work, dedication, and sacrifice. It also means trusting God with what we cannot see, figure out, or control.
One Faithful Step at a Time
I was a very proud momma as I watched our son cross the finish line. We all cried when we hugged. I was grateful, too, for what his race taught me. The finish was one brief moment, but it happened because of countless choices to show up, face what was hard, start again if necessary, and just keep going.
Perhaps our faithfulness grows in much the same way. We say yes. We stay through the hard stretches. We pick ourselves up after a setback, and we face what scares us. With God’s help, we keep walking out what He has asked of us.
Where is God inviting you to take the next faithful step?
