http://www.okfreewheel.com/, an organized and fully supported bike ride of about 1000 people, riding 492 miles from Durant, OK to the southern Oklahoma border and then north to Kansas. 8 days, 7 nights: June 11 – 18. If you live somewhere near the route (see the link), let me know and come out and give me a shout-out!
I have never really trained for anything, certainly nothing like this. Sure I go mountain bike riding in Mali 25 miles each Saturday and do some short mid-week things. In the past, I have done some shorter events: 30, 40 and even 60 miles, but the 60 miles about killed me as I had not trained for it.
The truth is that almost anyone can go out and do a 5k walk for charity as a “one-off”, without training. And your normal church-goer can go cross-culturally for a 2-week mission trip and come back exhausted but with their eyes wide open!
But I decided I needed to do some serious training if I am going to do 8 days of between 40 and 80 miles each day. And this has been part of my sabbatical
It’s not for nothing that Paul used the “running a race” metaphor three different times in his epistles: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Acts 20:24, Hebrews 12:1-3. One has to wonder if he was a runner or at least someone who watched the games on the satellite dish in his tent.
I Corinthians 9:24-25
Do you not know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
[Okay, in my case, we just get a t-shirt and bragging rights.]:26-27 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.This training is serious and necessary if we want to finish the race and not be disqualified. I’ve been musing on this quite a bit while riding. This will be a 2 or 3-part post.
Paul says we should fix our eyes on the prize and also on that really fast guy who is miles ahead of us and has ridden the course before us: Jesus.
We should also keep in mind that at the end of each day’s ride, there is a hot meal and fellowship, and there is a BIG party at the final destination, no matter when you get there.
EQUIPMENT – Anyone can use old sneakers for a 5k walk. And anyone can take a used Wal-Mart bike and finish a 10-mile ride. But not even Lance Armstrong could do well in the Tour de France with that same bike. In fact, he would most certainly refuse to ride it.
For my ride, I have invested quite a bit in cycling shoes and some upgrades to my bike, including a full tune up. And it really helps, especially to be able to shift into all the gears!
On the mission field, I have seen new people arrive and say idealistically, “We don’t need a vehicle. We’ll just take the bush taxi back and forth to the village”. That usually lasts for a month or so, and then they realize they need a vehicle if they want to get anything done. Similarly, westerners can survive living in a Malian hut for a short while, but if they want to endure in the village setting, they will need to build some sort of house with some lights, a fan, a sit-down toilet, etc. In Bamako, we have air-conditioners in our offices and many have them in their homes. A luxury? Not really when it is 90F-110F most of the year.
The lesson: whatever the tools of your trade are, don’t skimp on them: computers, software, cars, training courses. Know what you need and don’t short-change yourself.
DILIGENCE: The most important part of training for the long haul is consistency and discipline. Get out there and train daily. In life, we need to stay in the Word and don’t just count on Sunday church to tide you over. Plan for how you are going to grow yourself spiritually.
TAKE A REST DAY: you need to train daily but they say you shouldn’t train every day with no break or you will tear your body down. Sabbath rest is necessary!
COMPANIONSHIP: There is much to be said for training in a group. You can keep each other accountable and just having someone out there a bit faster than you will keep you going on at pace.
This is one area where I am lacking in during this training time. I do not have any cycling buddies to train with on this continent.
It’s important that the people you are fellowshipping with and who accompany you on the journey God puts you on have similar goals and destination. It wouldn’t help me to train with a runner as we would go at different speeds. Or to train with someone only wanting to ride a few miles.
I suppose ENCOURAGEMENT fits here. Paul talks in Hebrews 12 about the “great cloud of witnesses” - people cheering us on, even if only virtually via a “like” on FB when I say, “I rode 50 miles today to Tecumseh and back”.
Coming in Part II: Knowing the route, Being prepared, Wind, Opposition and more.
Keep Training for your race!
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