Timothy Badyna has broken world records. He completed a marathon in less than four hours and ran a 10K race in 45 minutes. You might be thinking that does not sound fast. Well, he was running backward when he set those records.
Many are turning away from traditional running and starting to participate in these types of races. There are about 500 people in the US that walk or run backwards competitively. It has been determined that it burns about 20 percent more calories than normal jogging.
“Your balance increases. Your hearing increases. Your peripheral vision increases,” said Badyna.
“The downside is being blindsided. You don’t have any eyes behind you, but your senses assume responsibility. As long as you go someplace safe — a track, a familiar road, you’ll cut down the chances of any unforeseen obstacles coming your way,” he said. Hebrews 12:1-2 states, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
These verses focus on running with our eyes looking toward Jesus. The author uses the illustration of a race to teach us how to try to become more like Jesus.
Think how hard it would be to run backward. It would be easy to get overcome with obstacles you did not see coming. I think this is a great comparison to spiritual struggles. When we are not focused on Christ, we stumble.
This week, why don’t you think about what types of things take your focus off of Jesus and pray for God to help you deal with those things in your life so you can move forward spiritually?
–Tom Lucas, Lakeside church of Christ
“Your balance increases. Your hearing increases. Your peripheral vision increases,” said Badyna.
“The downside is being blindsided. You don’t have any eyes behind you, but your senses assume responsibility. As long as you go someplace safe — a track, a familiar road, you’ll cut down the chances of any unforeseen obstacles coming your way,” he said. Hebrews 12:1-2 states, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
These verses focus on running with our eyes looking toward Jesus. The author uses the illustration of a race to teach us how to try to become more like Jesus.
Think how hard it would be to run backward. It would be easy to get overcome with obstacles you did not see coming. I think this is a great comparison to spiritual struggles. When we are not focused on Christ, we stumble.
This week, why don’t you think about what types of things take your focus off of Jesus and pray for God to help you deal with those things in your life so you can move forward spiritually?
–Tom Lucas, Lakeside church of Christ
