The point of the Christian Race is not to run faster than everyone else or to beat all those other Christians to the Finish Line. The point, of being a participant in this God ordained event, is ....
1. We run this lifetime race in service to our God and for His glory. Our race is being witnessed by God, the sponsor and Judge, Jesus his Son, his Holy Spirit, his holy angels and a "great cloud of witnesses". So we must do our very best, obey the rules of the race and not push or trip other runners or turn to the right or left, but stay on track.... to the finish line where Jesus the finisher awaits us.
2. A runner must "lay aside every" unnecessary hindrance and encumbrance which would impede him/her from running the race to our very best ability so as to please the sponsor and judges, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and bless that great crowd of witnesses.
3. A runner must be absolutely certain he or she is running in the right direction, toward the goal and finish line "set before us".
4. A runner must never stop but keep moving in the right direction, "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher" of the race. And, following His example, to "run with patience", pace ourselves until we must slow to a trot and then a walk and then with baby steps and cross the finish line crawling if necessary. RB
Here is an example runner crawling across the finish line in third place.RB
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(CNN)Lifelong runner and Austin Marathon race director John Conley has been a part of many races, but none of the finishes he's been a part of quite compare to what he saw Sunday in Texas.
"What we saw was a champion," Conley said. "The toughest person on the planet."
Conley's not talking about Cynthia Jerop, the women's winner, who finished the 26.2-mile race in 2:54:21.
He'd expected to see Kenyan runner Hyvon Ngetich. According to reports he'd received from the race course, she had been leading most of the race.
But with just two-tenths of a mile left to run, Ngetich began to wobble and stagger, and eventually fell down. She attempted to get back up and keep running but was unsuccessful, Conley said.
But Ngetich never stopped moving forward.
With members of the race team 's medical staff walking on all sides cheering her on, Ngetich crawled to the finish line.
"As bad as it looks, we knew she was prepared to finish," Conley said.
With just 2 meters left for her to crawl, Ngetich was passed by second place finisher Hannah Steffan. Ngetich placed third, with a time of 3:04:02.
Conley said Ngetich crawled more than 400 meters (1,312 feet) to cross the finish line, leaving her knees and elbows bloodied and her hands stained from the pavement.
She was immediately rushed to a medical tent, where she was treated for dangerously low blood sugar, Conley said.
Ngetich told CNN affiliate KEYE she doesn't remember finishing the race.
Her "exceptional effort," inspired applause from nearly every marathon spectator and inspired Conley to adjust her prize money so she receives the same amount of money as if she'd come in second.
"You ran the bravest race and crawled the bravest crawl I have ever seen in my life," Conley said to Ngetich on Sunday night, "You have earned much honor."
Ngetich said it's just what she does.
"In running, you have to keep going," she said.
Click on the picture below, and be patient, to watch this video of runner crossing the finish line and coming in third... but she finished the race and placed. As a witness to her determination, you can't help but love this champion runner. RB
