Faith and Health Summit 2022 Mindful Together
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
    • Careers
  • Programs
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • Faith and Health Summit 2022 Mindful Together
      • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • Mental Health Advocacy
      • BIPOC Mental Health Grant
      • Growing Communities of Inclusion: A Faithful Response to HIV
      • Healthy Aging
      • Citizen Science
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Criminal Justice
    • Immigrant Rights
    • Public Education
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
  • Events
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

Run Your Own Race: Outer Banks Half Marathon, Part 1

Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator · December 28, 2013 · Leave a Comment

On the second weekend in November the Outer Banks hosted a marathon, half-marathon, and a variety of other running events. The “1 Corinthians 9:24 Runners” was one group that participated, based out of Guilford College United Methodist Church in Greensboro. I had the honor of being a part of this group, a group that has been on an incredible journey over the past year together. It was an amazing experience to see these people come together over shared goals, experiences, and commitments.  They are a true example of what Christian community could be.

Often in our Christian communities we struggle to balance support and accountability. This tension came to light anew in our excursions running together. We found a balance of being there to encourage, build up, and support each other — a “you are doing a great job!” or “keep it up” — and of pushing one another to do even better.  Sometimes when I felt like walking, it was good to hear, “you can make it a bit further — to the next stop sign/tree/light post (or any other visible landmark ahead)!” Other times, I needed to hear that all was not lost when I needed to slow down for a breather. Although this group has people with different speeds and goals, we celebrated the accomplishments of each at the finish line with authentic joy and enthusiasm. We cheered just as loudly for the first to cross the finish line as the last, and everyone in between. We even cheered for people we had not ever seen or met before. What an amazing experience of joy!

1 Corinthians 9:24 says, “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.” At first this bothered me a little, because I will never win a marathon, half marathon, or even a 5k race. But, a powerful phrase was repeated several times during the weekend at the Outer Banks: “Run your own race.”  I can run like I mean to win: I can push myself, run with all I have to give. I can run with my heart, soul, mind, spirit, and body working towards a goal. I can run my own race — while encouraging those around me to run or walk, bike, skip, or sprint — theirs. In the 12th mile of the run, a full marathoner (who had started 20 minutes after I did) came running past. Yes, he had run twice as far as I had, and in less time. As he passed me on the course, tears filled my eyes. Not from a sense of failure or sadness, but out of the joy of getting to witness firsthand someone accomplish something so phenomenal. He was the first to finish this race, well under the time needed for him to qualify for the Boston Marathon. All of us who were still running cheered and yelled as he ran by. He was running his race, and we were running ours.

It was a wonderful feeling to accomplish something I had worked and trained for with a community, and realizing that I could not have done it alone. Since the race, I have constantly thought about finding another one to run. I have even had dreams about running, and, if you were wondering, that is not normal for me. There is nothing like the feeling of running a race, mile after mile, crossing that finish line, and celebrating with community. There is nothing like running your own race. Maybe next time, I’ll beat my own time, but that is the only time I have to beat.

Partners in Health and Wholeness is an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches. PHW aims to connect health as a faith issue. Please visit our website to sign your personal pledge to be healthier, and to find out about grant opportunities for places of worship in NC.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Health

About Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

I get so excited about the many aspects of the faith and health, particularly the food and faith, movement. I am honored to be a part of it through the work of PHW. I love travelling, cooking, eating, writing and preaching. I am an aspiring gardener, artist, and half-marathoner. My deepest joys in life involve my 8th and 9th grade girls small group, wonderful family, dear friends, husband Robert and puppy Benny, and the amazing blessing of figuring out this journey of life together.
Learn more about PHW and our efforts to improve the health of God’s people: healthandwholeness.org

Reader Interactions

More Like This

Health Ministry as Peace Work – A Reflection on Peace Month
Faith and Health Summit 2022
Meeting the Moment for LGBTQ+ Older Adults

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

Run Your Own Race: Outer Banks Half Marathon, Part 1

Latest Tweets

Like it or not – and there are plenty of reasons to worry amid the familiar end-of-summer bursts of excitement – another school year will soon get underway. Read more at ncchurches.org/2022/…

Yesterday

Using our voices to fulfill our civic duty and vote in every election makes a difference in our communities. This reflection guide with suggested questions to guide your conversations and spark ideas for questions to ask political candidates. ncchurches.org/2022/…

About 4 days ago

Join us for our @healthandfaith Faith and Health Summit! Our theme for this year’s summit is Mindful Together. We want to acknowledge the need for mindful moments that hold our minds, bodies, & spirits. Join us and a well-rounded list of expert speakers: ncchurches.ourpowerb… pic.twitter.com/WSnA…

About 5 days ago

RT @NCCADP We have so much planned to mark the anniversary of NC's last execution. Read all about it on our blog and make a plan to join us as we say: Never again! #deathpenalty bit.ly/3C0lZkf

Last week

With the growing threat of the climate crisis, NC is looking toward new ways to get to zero carbon emissions. Last week, @NCIPL staff members Susannah Tuttle & Ren Martin attended a public hearing in Charlotte. wfae.org/energy-envi…

Last week

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

RT @ncchurches Join us for our @healthandfaith Faith and Health Summit! Our theme for this year’s summit is Mindful Together. We want to acknowledge the need for mindful moments that hold our minds, bodies, & spirits. Join us and a well-rounded list of expert speakers: ncchurches.ourpowerb… pic.twitter.com/WSnA…

About 5 days ago

Do you know what grant is right for your faith community? Check out the graphic below to learn about the differences between grants. Click here to learn more informationhttps://www.ncchurches.org/programs/phw/phw-mini-grants/ pic.twitter.com/umXb…

Last week

RT @FaithCompassWFU If we look at the HIV epidemic as an opportunity to bring healing, justice, and equity to those who have been marginalized and impacted by the health industry and society at large, we can generate more good in our communities. #breakthestigma #faithcompassWFU pic.twitter.com/FPIB…

About 3 weeks ago

RT @ncchurches This month we are excited to announce our @healthandfaith Interim Co-Directors: Jessica Stokes & Nicole Johnson. Jessica & Nicole have dedicated their hard work to supporting faith communities across NC. They will continue to do this work while overseeing the PHW program. pic.twitter.com/SU8Q…

About 3 weeks ago

RT @ncchurches This July, during BIPOC Mental Health Month, we invite faith communities of color to think about programs, initiatives, and ideas that will lift up BIPOC Mental Health and use the grant money @healthandfaith will offer to make that idea come to light! ncchurches.org/bipoc… pic.twitter.com/DMwT…

About 3 weeks ago

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @interfaithpower 🧵1/The Senate voted to pass the single biggest climate & clean energy investment in our nation’s history! Read statements on the passage from the IPL network: interfaithpowerandli… #Faiths4Climate #GetClimateDone

About 5 days ago

RT @interfaithpower Join us tomorrow for a discussion about encouraging our #faith communities to #vote by offering sermons, divrei Torah, and khutbahs on the importance of #voting. Register at ow.ly/W6so50K5kqI #FaithClimateJusticeVoter #Vote2022 #VoteReady #Faiths4Climate #interfaith pic.twitter.com/6Ecw…

About 5 days ago

Press Conference happening now #CLT #NCCarbonPlan #FossilFreeNC pic.twitter.com/Rizq…

About 2 weeks ago

RT @ClimateNexus Faith-based organizations, including @CreationJustice and @NCIPL, are hosting an evening of discussions and workshops on building climate resilience on August 18 from 5 pm to 8 pm ET. Register here: bit.ly/resiliencesum… pic.twitter.com/fuz8…

About 2 weeks ago

RT @averydavislamb Preachers and pastors! This weekend when you pray for and preach on the heat waves, wildfires, and other disasters, try mentioning that these are intensified by climate change. Here's what I've been praying...

About 3 weeks ago

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2022 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine