There is a lot that the running and the church communities have in common. The running community is a powerful force for good, giving you motivation, support, and guidance to reach more of your running and life goals. The science of surrounding yourself with positive role models is clear: it helps you succeed in life. Likewise, the church (like this one I spoke at on Sunday) is a place where Jesus Christ has invited us to his memorial service, to remember that he died for us and he doesn't want us to ever forget that act of love.
By drawing together weekly and by taking communion, we share in a common experience and prod one another to greater enthusiasm toward God. Church is a time to take a weekly breather, to rest, to celebrate -- and to remember. The Lord's Supper at the end of the service on Sunday was the most meaningful part of the day for me. Just like on race day on Monday with 50,000 other runners, so being at church on Sunday reminded me that we're a melting pot of people who have overlooked our differences to thrive as a family.
Do I really need the running community? I most certainly do.
Do I really need a church community of old men in sport coats and twenty-somethings in blue jeans and gray-haired grandmothers and wiggling kids and pieces of bread being dipped into a cup of grape juice and hamburgers afterwards? Every bit as much.