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Running TFC Cross-country
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Rachel and Dale Garside at the Peachtree City 15K
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Rachel and Dale Garside at the Peachtree City 15K |
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VISION 1. DEDICATION TO GOD My hope is that all the team members will consider running as a gift from God to be used for His honor and glory. Running is not an end in itself, so it is not the goal; it is the means to a goal. It is so much more than an exercise to lose weight or win medals. May all TFC cross-country runners echo the sentiment that the Olympic gold medal runner, Eric Liddell, expressed in the movie, Chariots of Fire, “I feel God’s pleasure when I run.” We hope to love running even more at the end of the season than at the beginning because we have developed God’s gift into a skill. 2. TRAINING As Christians, we are to make disciples, not just converts. The disciple is disciplined, by definition. Just as Christian disciples must study to show themselves approved, so cross-country runners must train daily to compete with other teams. TFC cross-country prepares athletes for their spiritual as well as their physical races. Proper training means the runners will not tire before the race is over. As Isaiah said, “They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary.” We hope to train well to run well. 3. PACING Cross-country is a sport that rewards runners who pace themselves well. Those who start out too fast are rarely the first to finish. Those who sprint at the end of the race without having stayed within striking distance of the other runners on the course will not place well. The best runners are those who train well, know the limitations of their bodies, are aware of where the other runners are, sense how much to run at what time, and close out the race placing about where they purposed at the start. We hope to run strategically and efficiently so that each one places well and maximizes the team score. 4. TEAM EFFORT Cross-country runners succeed through individual effort and rewards that contribute to an entire team result; that is, it is an individual and team sport at the same time. Further, cross-country runners are selfless, in general, because they know their individual place is vital to a team victory. As all runners on a team do their best, so the team turns in a good performance. If a few run their hearts out, but others slack off, the team will be uneven and not do well. TFC can even have the best cross-country runner in the nation, but if the remaining team members lag far behind, we will not be a good team. We seek to put forth a complete team effort with all team members maximizing their abilities to run efficiently and well, so that the whole group is blessed, not just a few. In other words, We hope to sacrifice for each other and run selflessly as a team should. 5. COMPLETION OF THE RACE Like the Christian walk, cross-country is a unique sport that focuses on finishing what you begin. Even if we are being beat by a superior team, we will finish the race. Attitude, training, pacing, and team effort will all contribute to everyone’s completion of the race. Barring divine hindrances, we hope to complete each race we start, as individuals and as a team. 6. ATTITUDE Regardless of the outcome, victory or defeat, we will remain optimistic. Discouragement will not enslave us, and defeat will not overcome us. As Paul exhorts the Philippians, we will dwell on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy, In other words, we hope to focus on what is good, not what is bad, about our experiences. |