Their t-shirts read, “Our Sport is Your Sport’s Punishment” and if you’ve never stood at the finish line of a 7th & 8th grade girls Cross Country Meet, you don’t know what you’re missing. It was a run for the County Championship, the last meet of the year and the course was fast. Hundreds of young women put their toes on the start line. The gun fired and for the next 2.1 miles they fought each other and themselves to finish in record time.
Standing under the inflatable arch, the crowd erupted into cheers. I watched as the winner came up the hill, ran through the timing station and collapsed. Then, one after the other, they came weeping and holding their stomachs. Large men were waiting, catching faint girls, helping them stay upright and showing the way to the water table. I watched as several girls were dragged or carried out of the finishing area. It struck me that their small frames and wisps of blonde hair belied a rock-like strength and determination. I have never seen anything like it before and was inspired to the point of tears.
These girls were all in. They showed up, put their toes on the line and ran themselves to utter and complete exhaustion.
They probably don’t know it, but as they ran these small and unassuming girls were asking each of us a simple question. “Are you all in?” Are you putting everything you have into your life, your marriage, your relationships, your job? Are you pressing forward, even in the face of fear and resistance? Are you willing to do the hard thing even if you don’t know the outcome?
What’s keeping you from being all in?