Running, Racing, and Rituals (Part 1)

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It was a cold morning in Southern California. Perhaps a morning like any other in the beginning of the fall season, foggy, overcast, humid; nothing extraordinary about it, really, except for the fact that I was meeting with a group of other runners for the first time to take the longest run of my life. Two miles! Two miles that marked the beginning of my running season. We gathered together at a local park; stretched; warmed up; walked. Then we ran. The company of others made it go by quickly, actually, and back at the park, we stretched some more; ate a snack, and went home.

Running is personal, racing is corporate, and rituals are institutional.This routine, adjusting the distance week after week, we were to perform for several months in preparation for our competitive race. It was through the succession of our training cycle that I started to reflect about my topic for this week. Is there really a connection between running, racing, rituals, and religion? If so, what can that connection teach us about our spiritual lives?

This three part article briefly explores the relationship between running, racing, and rituals and living a spiritual life. Let's start with a word about running.

Running

Running is personal. Believe it or not, every healthy person has the required resources and skills needed for running. If you can walk, you can run. Running is cheap in this sense: you do not need to spend a lot of money acquiring these resources and skills, because you already have them. There are no excuses to start running, except for the self-imposed; just get your legs moving and hit the road. Running is also personal in the sense that it allows you to discover your own capabilities. I did not know I could run until I started to run. I did not know I could run faster, longer, and more frequently until I made it my goal. I did not know I could break my personal records of pace, speed, and distance until I started to push myself.

Running brings a deep sense of spiritual awareness. God has provided you with everything you need to run your own race of faith. Your capacity for finding meaning in life, trusting, and passing on what you believe has been freely given by the grace of God. There are no excuses to run your best race of faith, except for the self-imposed. As you look for your purpose in life, trust God and those around you, and share your faith, you will discover your own spiritual gifts and areas of service, learning soon that you can be a difference in the world as you work out your faith.

[Part 2] [Part 3]



Racing as an Image of Faith

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Metaphors have the power to transform the mundane and trivial into the immortalized and spiritual. Having said that, it suddenly becomes clear how religion have used metaphors to exemplify and make sense, to expand and assure, to distinguish and grow faith. Metaphors, however, do not have any effect to the hearers unless they are able to connect with them in the intimate level. Only when we immerse ourselves in the explicit that is at hands, we are able to move into the implicit that is beyond. Then, and only then, we can fully embrace the faith hidden within each metaphor, catch the spirit within each allegory, and internalize the moral within each story.

This is my story. Not necessarily the most interesting and the most unique, but certainly the only one that counts; not on the basis of celebrity or public opinion, but simply because it is the only one I have, and the only one I can share without fear of copyright infringements. In telling my story, I have come across many metaphorical aha moments. Some of these I am planning to share soon and some others I will keep to myself until I feel they are ready to reproduce faith in others.

Race of Faith

Speaking of faith... faith is a race. Faith defined as the finding of purpose and meaning in life is a race, perhaps the very race of life. Faith as basic trust, in God and in other human beings, is a race, in fact a hurdle race; as I look back I can see how hard it has been to build that trust throughout the obstacles, disappointments, treasons, and frustrations of life. Faith as living a religious life and having a religious affiliation is also a race, perhaps a relay race, as we struggle to preserve tradition and morals and pass them on from our generation to the generations to come.

To no surprise Paul the apostle wrote often about the race of faith. He wrote to the church in Corinth: "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win" GWT: 1 Corinthians 9:24.

I started my personal race of faith many years ago, when I was a teenager, but Paul's words did not take full meaning for me until I started to run last year in preparation for my first competitive race. My understanding of this metaphor took a new dimension as I started to enjoy running which such intensity that I felt compelled to share my reflections on this blog.

Faith of Race

This blog then deals with finding hints of faith in running as we train and participate in races and competitions. At the same time, we will provide practical advice to help you prepare for your own races, especially, your own race of faith. Hopefully, and with the collaboration of others, we will offer parallel discussions about the relationships between running, racing, rituals, and religion in general, as well as useful tips on running, participating in races, strength and speed training, hydration and nutrition, exercise gear, and the like, as we encourage you to live a balanced life; a life of physical, psychical, spiritual, and social harmony.





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