This morning a friend and I raced in the Chick fil A 5K race series in Memphis. This race was at the opposite end of the spectrum from the little 5K I did last weekend.
First, it was HUGE! Nearly 2,000 participants ran a 3+-mile stretch of road through that pretty city on this peaceful Labor Day morning. The starting line was ridiculously packed for maybe a block? I don't know. I couldn't tell with that many people. Whew!
But I got to experience chip timing because of the size of this race. I'd heard that most races give you a chip you can tie on your shoe laces (genius), but our chips were on the back of our number tags on our shirts (even more genius). Last week, the race only had forty participants, and it was hosted by a church... we were not chip timed. Ha! A lady sat at a table by the finish line and marked our time from the huge timer in the parking lot as we crossed the cones. I was so anxious at the beginning of that race about how we could not all fit equally at the starting line, so I got as close to the front as possible.
I think it is amazing that technology allows the fairness of a huge race to happen, not to mention immediate results! Even though it took nearly a minute for the chunk of people in front of me to even reach the starting line today, I felt peace because I knew my chip made it fair: We all can run at the place where we are on the road. The chip does not begin timing until you pass the start line because some technological doo-hickey (yep, I know all the fancy words) activates it, and then it stops when you cross the finish line because of a doo-hickey there... and then you can go look up your number on a volunteer's tablet and see where you placed overall, in age category, and gender category.
Last week I soared through my race, beating my goal of under 24 minutes in plenty of time. (official: 22:56... but distance was questioned by my personal gps at 3.02 miles).
The friend who ran with me today did awesome. I asked her about five weeks ago to run with me in a race because I knew she was experienced, and she helped me feel braver about racing. Her confidence and willingness and hard work (pushing her adorable 2-year-old in a jogging stroller in Tennessee summer heat) to get back in the running game (she has raced plenty in yesteryears) amazed me. I paced her today, and she got her best time yet. I am so happy for her!
Today God was in our friendship, as well as in finding Spirit's peace about remembering that different events call for different roles. Part of me wanted to see if I could beat my time from last week, but there will be time for that another day. Today I relaxed and just had fun with my friend! I see fun races in our future too ;)
(This is us after we finished:)
Feeling the atmosphere of such a huge race and understanding how chips work for timing have me feeling even more confidence about my half marathon in October... less than six weeks away. (I have butterflies of eager anticipation.)
Father-God, thank you for this morning. You taught me a lot today about seeking Your everlasting Kingdom, instead of building my own, which will just be dust one day. Whew! Thank you for my brave friend who drove to a big city and encouraged me by helping me get race experience as I travel along this adventure. Thank you for my unfathomably supportive husband and adorable children who got out of bed while it was still dark to accompany me and cheer me on Your Way. I am so blessed and I have the best life. Please don't let me get distracted by my own kingdom. If running and racing are tools that can glorify You, please let me continue in this fun. Please don't let me misuse this acitivity for self-worship of any kind. Thank you for the health of my body, the confidence of my mind, and the willingness and peace and good things from Spirit. In Jesus' name, Thank You!
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