COME JOIN US FOR THE
'RUN BACK TO GOD 5K'
A color walk/run hosted by the high school class of 2020
A color 5K with quotes and fun facts along the course!
Registration fees
Run Back to God 5K [Ages 22 and over] Closed
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$35.00Jul 26 - Sep 7
Run Back to God 5K [Ages 21 and Under] Closed
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$20.00Jul 26 - Sep 7
ABOUT THE RACE
“One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize.” (Phillipians 3:13-14)
The “Run Back to God 5K” is a Bible themed road race for elite runners and casual walkers alike. Participants of all walks of life are encouraged to join us in this family oriented community event which couples a flat and quick 5K course with encouraging reminders of running’s analogous nature to life itself.
"That's the whole deal with running: How hard can you push yourself and how hard can you train? I think that's a lot like our spiritual walk. You have to continue to challenge yourself, and you can't expect it to come easily" - Ryan Hall (U.S Olympian / American half marathon record holder)
Long distance events are a constant struggle between the mind, which insists on enduring discomfort to reach a goal, and the body, which insists on stopping the fatigue it must endure in the process. Success on the course is dependent on the runners sacrifice of physical comfort in favor of voluntarily enduring self-induced fatigue to reach a distant prize. The conflict is an inner struggle between the desire for physical comfort and the desire for victory. However, prior to embarking on the endurance race of life, we are called to cast off anything (with God's aid) which may hinder our progress along the course.
"let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1)
The Bible constantly alludes to our spiritual life as an endurance run or course that we advance through, indicating the expectation of struggles along the journey. Therefore, life requires overcoming hardships and enduring to the end to obtain a distant prize/goal.
"Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." (Micah 7:8)
Unforeseen events constantly hinder life’s plans and goals. The Bible also indicates a source of aid when all seems lost and hopeless on the course of life.
“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.” (1 Corinthians 9:25-26)
Just as a prize is awarded to those who endure the struggles of a race, so too, is a prize awarded to those who faithfully persist along the narrow path of life. The amount of exhaustion one is willing to endure in a race is proportionate to the glory offered in victory. We are called to struggle in our spiritual lives just like runners who endure exhaustion in a mad dash to the finish in hopes of attaining victory. However, our willingness to endure hardships on our journey of faith should be indefinitely greater than that demonstrated by athletes because the glory we are striving towards is incomprehensibly greater.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
"My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Succuss on the course is not dependent on our own strength, but reliance on God Himself.
"Earth is man's training ground, heaven his crown" -St.Ambrose
Join us in this journey of faith as we run back to God together!
"That is why, we run after you with all that we have. We run with all our might and all our strength. Nor will I run alone. Hardly! I will run with all the members of my family. Today salvation has come to this house, (Luke 19:9). I, alongside those whom God has given me, will worship the Lord. We will all run along Your path. I will not run alone. I will bring all my friends along. I will bring all my loved ones with me. We will all run along Your path. Draw me away! We will run after you. Many people are lost because of me, O my God. Perhaps they will be able to find their way if I find mine. Therefore, draw us all unto you that we may run after you. I will run alongside all those around me. I will run with all those related to me. As soon as I start running along Your path, they are sure to follow"
-HH Pope Shenouda III on pg 79-80 of "Have You Seen the One I Love"
(Meseret Defar moments after winning the 2012 Olympics 5K)
ADDITIONAL INFO...
- Register before August 31st and get a free shirt (shirts on sale for non-participants)
- Registrations are accepted on race day for $35. [Free shirt's are not guaranteed]
- Two water stations along the course for all runners/walkers
- Participants receive a food voucher for the Egyptian Festival at St.Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church after the race
- Awards will be presented in the following categories:
- Top 3 male and female finishers in the following age brackets:
- 10 & under, 11-15, 16-20
- Top male and female finishers in the following age brackets:
- 21-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+
- Top overall male and female finishers
- Top 3 male and female finishers in the following age brackets:
MAP YOUR DAY!
COURSE LAYOUT
RACE TIMING BY...
Timing Services by:
Event schedule
- Sat, September 7, 2019 7:45 AM - Registration and Packet Pick-Up Opens
- Sat, September 7, 2019 8:45 AM - Registration Closes
- Sat, September 7, 2019 9:00 AM - 5K Starts
- Sat, September 7, 2019 10:30 AM - Awards Ceremony
Contact information
- Event contact
- Andrew Khalil
- andrewkhalil7@gmail.com