Faith, Grit, and 100 Miles: An Actives Ultramarathon Testimony
Published on November 22, 2024
šØALUMNIšØ
Greetings, brothers!
Tomorrow (November 23rd), Matt Giordano, the Vice President of the Liberty Chapter, is taking on an Ultramarathon: a 100-mile run!
Letās show our brotherhood and support! Drop your words of encouragement for Matt in the comments below. Have any of you ever taken on something like this?
Letās lift him up and cheer him on!
I had the chance to catch up with Matt to hear his pre-race thoughts and the inspiration behind tackling this feat. Read below!
"Iām Matthew Giordano, Vice President of the AGO Chi chapter. This coming Saturday, I will be running the Dinosaur Valley 100 Mile Ultramarathon. The race features 9,000 feet of elevation through rocky terrain. With my current race plan, I hope to finish in 22 hours, God willing, and hopefully beat the record for my age group. The race is a challenge to finish on its own, with many participants dropping out for various reasons. This race is a true test of grit and discipline, which is why I am taking it on.
My personal testimony with this race is that, throughout my life, Iāve gone through many difficult situations that God has walked me through. Iāve realized that life itself is a challenge, and those who take it head-on are the ones who get the most out of it. Like most people, I found myself complacent and struggling to find motivation. The truth is that motivation will never comeāyou have to move forward with or without it.
My favorite verse is Ecclesiastes 11:4: "But there are some things that you cannot be sure of. You must take a chance. If you wait for perfect weather, you will never plant your seeds. If you are afraid that every cloud will bring rain, you will never harvest your crops.ā
Life comes at you fast. It may not be a 100-mile race; it might be having your first child or struggling in a marriage. Regardless, there will be challenges, and many times you donāt get the chance to be ready.
Another truth is that the life of a Christian is difficult. God will require things of us that we never thought we could do. This race is my commitment to Himāa sign that I am willing to put aside my wants and my time to dedicate myself. Through this journey, I have gotten so much closer to God.
For me, I started this race with God, and I will end it with God. He pulled me out of the darkness, so I will run with Him through everything.
I want to finish with this: becoming like David is not a crazy feat. You just need to pick up the sling and trust God."