Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1 NIV).

Last summer, my friend Leslie Berens’ son Ricky won an Olympic gold medal in swimming.  He trained hard, month after month after month.  The odds of winning Olympic gold are so small you’d stand a better chance of getting struck by lightening!  This summer Ricky brought home another gold medal from the World Champs in Barcelona.  Amazing.

But the pathway to a swimmer’s success is grueling.   Swimmers carve their own unique culture out of mornings.  Up at 4:15.  Breakfast and out the door  to be in the water by 5am.  I know the drill well, for our youngest son Michael is a swimmer.  Swimmers press on through exhaustion and pain for one reason: they know their race.  Do you know yours? Continue reading