I’m in training! I am taking part in the national Swimathon for charity (raising funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care) on 10th April (http://www.swimathon.org/) and will be swimming 5 kilometres (a staggering 200 lengths… if you don’t think that’s staggering, you are obviously a better swimmer than I am!!)
Why am I doing this? Well, swimming is something that is part of my everyday life, probably the only form of exercise I even remotely like (and that’s debatable at times!) Since I swim so often, it seemed natural that if I ever did do a sponsored sporting event, swimming would be the sport I’d choose.
Since I am swimming regularly anyway, having a goal to swim for also seemed like a good idea. Marie Curie provide nursing at home for those suffering from terminal cancer and I would like to be able to provide something towards that care. I would be swimming whether or not I had sponsors; hopefully, by swimming, I can contribute something positive to those who need help.
Having a goal in life is also important. I have been swimming regularly for 4 years now and it’s easy to become stale. I have gradually increased the distances I swim, since I’ve never been interested in (or remotely good at) speed. I can remember the feeling of first reaching the kilometre goal… then getting to a mile… then getting to 2 kilometres… then 2.5 kilometres and so on. I wouldn’t say I’m particularly ambitious or competitive, but there is something good about going further than you’ve gone before… about achieving more than you first thought you could.
Last autumn I was teaching sports vocabulary to 10 year olds and was staggered to find out one of my pupils could swim 2 miles (130 lengths). That spurred me on, and just before Christmas I managed that goal. Now I am fixing my eyes on 5km as a new goal and have until April to achieve it. I’m at 160 lengths so far, and keep adding lengths each Saturday…
The Bible doesn’t have much to say about swimming, but it does talk about running a lot! In a section headed ‘the need for self-discipline’ in the NIV, we read:
“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. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Cor 9:24-27)
I’m swimming to raise money for a good cause (and if I raise enough money, I win a T-shirt!!), but mainly for my health’s sake and to keep fit – after all, my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, so I can’t abuse it. But we are all in the race of life and are running to get a crown that will last forever. May we all be in strict training and run (live) in such a way as to please the Lord.