Crossing the Finish Line

It started off as perfect running weather, and good thing, too, because at 8:00 a.m. Friday morning, dozens of people were running like they were being chased. What they were running from is still up for debate. Some claimed it was the mysterious chaos of camp meeting mornings. Others insisted it was simply the fear of being late for breakfast. Whatever the cause, we now know who ran the fastest.

In this year’s 1‑mile run, 13‑year‑old Joshua Popescu blazed into 1st place with an impressive 6:46 finish. Close behind him was 12‑year‑old Judah Harpar, taking 2nd with a time of 6:49. Rounding out the top three was Ronin Leazer, who secured 3rd place at 7:06. Proving that courage knows no age limit, 93‑year‑old Jane Haynes joined the 1-mile race as well, showing that age is just a number and that you’re never too old to participate.

For some runners, however, one mile simply wasn’t enough. These brave souls opted for the 5K (3.1 miles) of determination, pacing, and perhaps a little self‑preservation.

In the 5K division, the top three runners last year also had a reappearance this year. Tryg Sorensen, age 15, from Broomfield, Colorado, claimed 1st place with a remarkable time of 18:51, improving upon his time of 19:29 last year. Not far behind, Aidan Kimbro crossed the line in 19:56, earning 2nd place. Running for the first time in the 5k instead of the 1-mile, Matthew Wickham followed closely, taking 3rd with a solid 20:02. Whether sprinting, jogging, or simply trying to stay ahead of the stampede, every participant ran for the joy of running and fellowship with others.

And perhaps that’s where the deeper lesson hides. Proverbs 28:1 says, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” It’s not likely that anyone on the course was fleeing anything real, but all of them demonstrated something real: boldness. The boldness to show up. The boldness to push themselves. The boldness to run their race with heart.

In the end, the times matter, but courage matters more. Bold as lions, they ran.

—Benjamin Lawson