No One Goes It Alone

Earlier this week, it was announced that Ryan Hall is going to be coached by the legendary Jack Daniels. Ryan is a two-time Olympian and is the fastest marathoner in American history. The reason that this is big news is because Ryan has spent the last four years coaching himself. The results have been less than spectacular for this talented and gifted runner.  Injuries have led him to drop out of the 2012 London Olympic Marathon around mile 10. He withdrew from New York in 2012 & 2013, as well as the 2013 Boston Marathon. He was able to finish Boston this year, but finished 13 minutes slower than his 2011 2:04:58 time. 

This past Sunday, I preached a message on the importance of teamwork. Using Mark’s account  (Mark 2: 1ff) of the paralyzed man who was carried to Jesus by his four friends and a community that cared for him, I spoke of the fact that we all need to surround ourselves with a team, if you will.  Whether our goals are to achieve healing, walk the path to recovery, or finish a race, no one can go it alone. We need those who can carry us at times, help to remove obstacles, identify our strengths and weaknesses, and get us to that place where we need to be. For as much as we want to embrace the cultural myth of the rugged individual, the truth remains the even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. While running looks (and on long runs feels) like an individual sport, those who succeed rely on the expertise, wisdom, and knowledge of coaches, nutritionists, massage therapists, and loving partners who wake up alone in bed because you’re out running Fartleks.  The same holds true for life.

Throughout Paul’s letters and the various other letters in the New Testament, there is an assumption that Christians exist in community with others and for the sake of others. It’s assumed that no one ever goes it alone…because they can’t. Over the years, a lot has been written about those who claim to be spiritual but not religious. In many ways, this is a claim that seems to say “I can do this on my own.” Sure, there’s a lot about institutional, organized religion that is less than savory. Such is the nature of human existence. And yet, even those broken communities have something to offer. Those broken communities offer real interaction, real help, and a real embrace. They’re doing good in their communities as they feed and clothe the poor. The beauty of Lutheran theology is our acknowledgment of this tension. We speak of being saint and sinner or God’s Word as law and gospel. It’s not either/or, but rather both/and. My contention is that anything called holy is, in and of itself broken. But when God uses it, it becomes holy. We are holy, not because of anything we have done, but because of what God has done for us in Jesus. We can’t go it alone. 

Training Update

I’ll be running the Twin Cities Marathon on October 5^th. I wanted to use this week as a final push before starting my taper this weekend. Unfortunately, I’ve been sidelined with a nasty cold. I managed 7 miles this morning with a minimal amount of hacking, wheezing, and coughing. 

This training cycle has involved fewer weekly miles, but I’ve tried to increase the intensity of certain runs along with more speed work. My coach has been emphasizing quality over quantity. In some ways this has been helpful because as I get older, I don’t recover as quickly as I once did. However, I’m a bit nervous as to how this will play out on race day. I’m not going to push for a PR or a BQ. I just want to enjoy the weekend, the scenery, and finish strong.