REVELATIONS FROM A BAD RACE – April 1

““Do 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

In my last post (Race Day), I was in the midst of pre-race excitement and the unknown of never having competed in a cycling event.  I am now in the haze of reflection on a weekend of bicycle racing.

 

I now know that my day-dream of standing on a podium really was a silly fantasy.
I also know the dreaded realization of being crushed by  “real” cyclists.

Time Trial:

I knew I was in trouble as I watched the other riders warm-up. I was impressed by the degree of aero-equipment that whizzed past me; TT bikes, aero-helmets, aero-wheels, and skin-suits of every variety and shape.  The vast majority of my competitors wore the gear of a cycling team and looked very fit.  I did not see any newbies, like myself.

The actual race confirmed my fears. They release competitors individually, in one minute increments. I was passed by three racers. In fact, I was passed within the first two miles by the guy who started immediately behind me, after I had been averaging over 23 mph.  I finished 10^th…out of ten, in my age group, 76^th out of 87 overall. However, I had personal bests on both climbs and I maintained my heart rate between 155-165 bpm. It was probably the best I could do.

I am satisfied with the race since my finish was strong (for me).

Criterium:

The crit course is located in the downtown section of a local town, in the form of a rectangle with two block straight-aways and 90 degree corners. It is flat and fast. From the whistle, we were immediately up to 25 mph. I managed through the first and second corners.  On the third corner, I was set up on the outside of the turn. I could not see very far ahead due to the group so I set my line base on the rider inside of me. We all leaned into the turn but I quickly released that I was being pinched into the curb as we were coming through the turn. I grabbed my brake a little too hard and felt my back tire slip toward the curb at which point I felt this sense of weightlessness. The next thing I knew I was standing in a grassy area adjacent to the course, inspecting my bike.

I had crashed in my first lap. Fortunately, I landed on the only grass aligning the whole course.  A rider with better bike handling skills and experience probably would never have crashed. I am a little disappointed that I did not get back on my bike and finish the crit – I probably could have. The crash rattled and scared me.

I did not finish well. In fact, I did not finish.

Road Race:

I didn’t want to do the road race after my experience with stages 1 and 2. I had been humbled and outclassed. I had done the pre-race ride and knew what a day on the road race course would be like.(Strava-Like Community)   A few friends encouraged me to continue and consider the road race as an opportunity to train and gain experience. I had no answer to their encouragement so I sucked it up and went for it.

To my surprise, I hung with the group until the climb at the end of the first lap when I was dropped and the group was gone. I rode in solitude for the next two laps, as I had expected, finishing 12^th …out of twelve, in my age group, 49^th out of 58 overall. I am happy that I persevered through the race even though my time was not competitive.

Measure the Heart
I was thinking about Paul’s encouragement to compete in a way to obtain the prize.  Thankfully, God does not judge our faith by outward appearance. He knows our heart. He knows the blessings and abilities that He has granted each one of us. He does not grant the prize based upon the external accolades from this race we call life.

God judges us based upon our heart.

I may have exhibited more heart and determination than my weekend rankings may have exhibited. I have not been blessed with much of the youth, experience, strength and athleticism on display by those real cyclists. I don’t have the luxury of time to put into dedicated cycling training necessary to achieve the sort of cycling fitness and power that I saw this weekend. But given where I am, I might not be in last place if heart were a category.

God judges us based upon our heart and what our love for Him motivates us to do with all the blessings and abilities He has given us. That is why we should not judge other people by their actions. We never know how competitive their heart really is. They might actually be running a better race of faith than I am without many of the advantages I have been given.

 

Race Well
We are all in a race. The goal of this race is to persevere and finish strong in our faith. We should all be striving to hear the words, “well done, good and faithful servant”.

We may feel outclassed by other people’s faith and dedication.
We may have crashed our faith due to inexperience and poor decisions.
We may be rattled and afraid of where following Christ might take us.
Bad experiences may have us at the edge of wanting to give up.
We might feel discouraged as we slog along in solitude.

Remember, God does not judge the external results of your faith. He judges your heart. He knows the gifts He has given you. He knows the disadvantages you are overcoming. He knows the faith He has given you. He has you exactly where He wants you. He is providing you with experience and training so that you will persevere to the finish line.

So, don’t give up; look to other real faith racers as examples of what is possible. Take heart in knowing that God has given them the strength to follow Him as they do. He can do the same for you. Most likely, He is already doing it as long as you continue to show some heart – a heart dedicated to loving God more than anything.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the opportunity to race this weekend. Thank you for showing me how important heart is.  Thank you for giving me grass to crash into.  Thank you for the faith that you have given me.  Thank you for the experience and training that you are putting me through.  Lord, examine my heart.   Give me examples to follow and be encouraged by.  Help me to suck it up and continue when I feel like giving up.  Remove all fear of following you with a wholly dedicated heart.  Help me to keep the prize of living well for your glory in sight. I want to embrace the hope of obtaining the prize. Grant me a spirit to race my life well. I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

RACE DAY – Mar. 29

““Do 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

It is race day.

I love race day, but I sort of hate it at the same time. My sleep was restless and I awoke early with a stomach filled with a cocktail of excitement and anxiety that coffee did not settle. I am competing in my first cycling race. I have competed in triathlons before but this is my first race just on the bike and it is a USA Cycling sanctioned stage race on top of that.

A stage race is actually three races. Today, we will compete in a time trial and a criterium. Then tomorrow, we will finish up the stages with a road race.  I have never done any of them, so this will be a new experience.

I don’t know why I get all amped up for race day. My brain tells me that it doesn’t really matter. I am a category 5 rider. That is the lowest of categories reserved for those who have never raced before. I am racing in the 45+ Master’s age group and I am in the “B” group on top of that; the “A” group is better. In the whole scope of the world, this race does not matter at all – just because it does not matter.

However, I am still excited for it. I want to do well. I want to be competitive. I don’t want to stink.

A strange thing happens when something you have done a hundred times becomes a race. Maybe, the fact that a race counts, changes things regardless of whether it matters or not.

It is expected to casually pedal along on an leisure ride … it is not a race.
It is understandable not to empty the tank in training … it is not a race.
It is easy to be content with breaking personal records … it is not a race.

That all changes when it becomes a race.

I have no idea how I am going to fair over the next two days. I have silly day-dreams of standing on the podium. I fight the dread of my best being crushed by  “real” cyclists.  My brain tells me that I will probably finish where I normally do, right in the meat of average, but I will never know until I race.

Racing forces the competitors to face the choice.
Am I going to go after the silly day-dream and compete
or
am I going to succumb to the dread and never try?

I love to race great because it makes things count. There is a marker that is planted at the completion of a race. It still may not matter, but it counts.

Paul encouraged the Corinthians to treat life like a race. He encouraged them to put aside any dread of failure and go after the hope of standing on the podium and receiving the prize. It is so easy to live our lives like we are on a leisurely ride, just training, or in the solitude of personal achievement.

We are to live life like a race.

That means awaking every morning with a mixture of excitement and anxiety because the day before us counts. Only, our days count and matter.

How we respond to our spouse counts…because it is a race.
How we interact with our kids counts … because it is a race.
How we do business counts … because it is a race.
How we spend our time and money counts … because it is a race.
How we pray counts … because it is a race.
How we reflect the fruits of the Spirit counts … because it is a race.
How we glorify God counts … because it is a race.

We should all be striving for the prize of hearing our Father in heaven saying “well done, good and faithful servant”.  That prize comes by living life like the race that it is.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the ability to race.  Be with me today, keep me safe and help me to do my best. More importantly, grant me the excitement that I feel today about racing to me for every day.  Lord, I want to live like my life counts.  I want to embrace the hope of obtaining the prize.  Grant me a spirit to race my life well.  I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen