Another Peachtree Road Race in the Books

I ran my third Peachtree Road Race Wednesday, July 4th. It was fantastic! You hear a lot about the famous Atlanta tradition, but you donít hear much about the marathon that it takes to get to the race itself. It takes months to prepare for the 10K, but it also takes some gearing up and perseverance to get to the event. Itís worth it!

Hereís a summary of this yearís experience (some times are approximate):

4:15 a.m. Woke up and got ready. Ate a banana and began drinking bottle of water.

5 a.m. Headed to College Park MARTA station.

5:40 a.m. Arrived, parked, and stood in line to purchase new Breeze card.

5:50 a.m. Train arrived and we started making our way north to the Lenox Station, picking up racers at every stop. We were packed like sardines by the time we got to Five Points, and still more runners squeezed onto the train at several more stops.

6:35 a.m. Arrived at Lenox Station. Thereís a mass of people in an assortment of running clothing. I spot Spiderman. Why would anybody wear a costume because youíre going to sweat?

6:37 a.m. Stood in line for rest room. Even men sometimes have to stand in line, also.

6:55 a.m. Followed large crowd of runners through some office building, down a set of steps, and finally outside. Then walked several blocks before reaching Lenox Square Mall and the starting line.

7:15 a.m. Reached starting position while National Anthem was being sung. I was in time group 1B, so I was about two minutes behind the official starting line itself.

7:30 a.m. Race starts but my group doesnít move for about two minutes. Then as the runners ahead of us advance, we move forward and finally begin running.

7:33 a.m. I cross official starting line and was among 55,000 characters, costumed runners and normal people running the race. The atmosphere is festive. This is fun!

8:33 a.m. I cross the finish line, happy and fulfilled at completing another Peachtree. Also, drenched, thirsty, and exhausted. Iím directed immediately to the chip clip line where a volunteer snips the computer chip from my shoe.

Then Iím directed to the T-shirt line where I pick up my race packet containing the shirt we all ran for. Then finding the power bars and Poweraide stations.

8:55 a.m. After hanging around the finish line for a few minutes, I begin the 20-minute walk back to the MARTA station. You run six miles, and it feels like youíre walking another six before you reach MARTA.

9:15 a.m. Arrive at MARTA station and board southbound train several minutes later. Arrive at College Park station at 9:55 a.m.

10 a.m. Iím in my car and heading back to Fayetteville, T-shirt in hand and another race in the books.

What a great event! It has some similarities to the Christian life. Paul compares the Christian life to a race. In Philippians 2:15, Paul says ìI have not run in vain,î while in Phil. 3:12, he writes, ìI press on.î In Phil. 3:14, Paul writes, ìI press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.î

In the Christian life, like in the Peachtree, you have runners pressing toward the finish line and toward the prized T-shirt. You have throngs of encouragers lining both sides of the course, cheering you on. And, hopefully, when you finish, you have joy and satisfaction of a race run well.

What about your race? Are you pressing on? Are you running well? Are you faithfully persevering?