Easter Sunday

So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher - John 20:4

I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure. - Eric Liddell

I never have understood Eric Liddell’s objection to running on Sunday, made so dramatic in “Chariots of Fire.” In my interpretation, that was one of the first things that happened on that first Easter … a footrace between St. Peter and St. John. Yeah, Peter was a loudmouth, but he was “The Rock.” John always felt a little closer to Jesus than may have been the truth. They really had no other way of determining who was the better Apostle. It wouldn’t have made sense for them to fight or wrestle over it. An impromptu footrace seemed a pretty definitive solution.

Although John won the race he never exploited it though.

I loved racing on Sunday. I had a whole pre-race routine. I went to church Saturday afternoon. I ate a good dinner, not necessarily pasta. I made sure the gear I would wear for race day was clean, dry and laid out for me to jump into in the morning. I went to bed (relatively) early, because the race usually meant an early crew call.

On race morning I got up early – but not as early as I had set my alarm. I got dressed. I made my coffee, but didn’t drink all of it. I slipped out of the house quietly. More often than not, it was a beautiful morning, just after sunrise, with the fog rising and clouds breaking to greet the day.

It was going to be a good one.