The Finish Line!

It main seem strange to start out the new year focusing on the finish line.  However, I would suppose that most (if not all) runners don’t train to reach the starting line – they train to reach the finish line.  And many who get to the starting line will never reach the finish line.

The next few weeks will prove my point.  Many, armed with new year’s resolve, have been heading to the gym for the first time in almost a year.  They will work out with earnest, some sporting fancy new gym wear obtained at Christmas.  And soon, they will be gone – back to their old routines. 

Why?  Because making it to the starting line is easy.  Getting to the finish line, well that’s another matter altogether.

Whenever I run a marathon I like to familiarize myself with the course ahead of time.  I don’t want to be surprised by a hill midway.  I want to be mentally prepared for it.  I want to make sure I’ve trained with that hill in mind.  I want to be ready.  I want to know what the last .2 miles looks like so I can envision myself there – running (hopefully) past the crowd (that I hope is still there) toward the finish.

I also know that at the end of the race there awaits a prize - a medal that signifies my accomplishment.  Everyone gets a t-shirt at the start – but only those who finish get the medal.  I don’t train for the t-shirt, I train for the medal.

One of Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is to begin with the end in mind.  Focus on the finish line – train to reach the finish line.  To do this we must know where the finish line is and what it will take to get there.

 So during this year, this blog is going to focus on the finish line.  As we race toward the prize, we will focus on the prize and what it takes to get there. 

So you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.  (1 Corinthians 9:24)

So where do we start?   That’s a matter of another blog entry.  Until then…

Run On!