November 3, 2011Read: Matthew 26

"Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My father if it's possible, let this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'" --Matthew 26:39

Getting ready to run a marathon is no easy task. From the packing and planning, to some unpacking and repacking, it becomes quite the endeavor. Work before work. And while I'm grateful for the opportunity to represent PrayFit at the 2011 New York City Marathon, I have one thing on my mind...one solitary vision and mission, and the reason I'm up for the fight: getting home. Even before I leave, I find that I'm already homesick and still in my living room.

I wonder if Jesus ever got homesick. I mean, if anyone had the right to miss where they were from, He did. But something kept him going. Someone kept him away. That something? Helplessness. That someone? You and me. Divine irony: Because he traveled, we'll get home.

--J.P.

Final Thought: Isn't He Amazing? He's not only leading the way, but he's been in our shoes. How else could we put one foot in front of the other?

NYC MARATHON FUN FACT

Whether you're an avid runner or not, it's hard to wrap your head around the feat: 26.2 miles. Consecutively. On foot. Yet over 40,000 distance running enthusiasts, including our own Jimmy Pena, will rumble through the streets of New York this weekend with that goal in mind. Most start at the sound of the gun simply hoping to finish. But for the world's elite marathoners, this weekend is about winning.

And while leads change plenty over 26.2 miles, the winner is often decided in the last mile or two. Rarely, however, is it decided in the final few meters. In 2005, Kenyan runner Paul Tergat out-kicked reigning champ Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa down the stretch to cross the tape first -- by one second. The thrilling finish was the closest in the history of the NYC Marathon, with Tergat posting a time of 2:09:29.90 to Ramaala's 2:09:30.22. Over 26 miles and victory came down to a second.