Run Your Race

Thank you and good morning. Friends, these past few months have been especially meaningful. Something I forgot to include in my bio—this April, I graduated from Ensign College with my Human Resources certificate. May marked my 12^th year working here. And June is my 2-year running anniversary.

Now, I’m not entirely sure what made me think starting to run in my 40s was a good idea—but it turns out you’re never too old to try something new. I owe a lot of that to my wife and sister-in-law, who inspired me to get started. I should probably ask my wife if she regrets being such a good influence, because several pairs of running shoes later... I’m still going.

What began as a 5K has somehow turned into an ultramarathon journey. Just two weeks ago, I ran my first 50-mile race in a format called a “Backyard Ultra.”

The Backyard Ultra
A Backyard Ultra is a unique kind of race because there’s no set finish line. Runners must complete a 4.167-mile loop every hour, on the hour. If you finish early, you wait. If you don’t start the next loop on time, you’re out. The race continues until only one runner remains.

At first, it feels manageable. One loop. Then another. But hour after hour, the challenge shifts. Your legs grow heavy. Fatigue creeps in. Your mind starts negotiating with you. The hardest part isn’t the distance—it’s the choice to start again. Every loop requires a fresh decision to keep going.

This race isn’t about speed or stats. It’s about grit. Patience. Endurance. It’s not about who’s fastest—it’s about who can keep showing up. Thankfully, the version I ran had 12- and 24-hour cutoff options. But still, every hour, you face the same question: Will I begin again? Some laps go well. Others don’t. But each one gives you the chance to try again.

Running has stretched me physically, mentally, and even spiritually. It's taught me things about life, growth, and discipleship that I never expected. Today, I want to share what it means to “run your race.”

The Race
Just like any race, it starts with a decision to sign up. In the premortal world, we made that choice. We signed up for this race with Christ as our leader, Savior, and King.

In Abraham 3:22–23, the Lord says to Abraham:
“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was... and God saw these souls that they were good… and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.”

We were chosen. We accepted the Savior’s plan. We trusted Him enough to follow Him here, knowing we would face trials, opposition, and imperfection. God knew this journey wouldn’t be easy—that’s why He provided a Savior before the world began.

As Sister Tamara W. Runia said:
“Maybe you hear the Lord’s words ‘If [you] love me, keep my commandments’ and feel deflated because you haven’t kept all the commandments. Let me remind you that it is also a commandment to repent! In fact, it might be the most repeated commandment in the scriptures... Your repentance doesn’t burden Jesus Christ; it brightens His joy.”[i]

We’re not in this race to prove we’re perfect. We’re in it to prove we won’t quit.

President Hinckley once said:
“You have not failed until you have quit trying.”[ii]

Elder Robert D. Hales shared a story that captures this perfectly:
“John Stephen Akhwari, a marathon runner from Tanzania, competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics. Even though he suffered along the way from fatigue, leg cramps, dehydration, and disorientation, a voice called from within to go on, and so he went on. Exhausted and staggering, John Stephen was the last man to enter the stadium. When asked why he would complete a race he could never win, Akhwari replied, ‘My country did not send me 7,000 miles [11,200 km] to start the race; they sent me 7,000 miles to finish the race.’

“In life, we are not brought to earth just to be born into mortality. We came with a mission and a purpose, and that is to endure to the end.

“Remember the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. All of them served the Master, and all received an equal wage. It did not matter that some arrived after others, only that each one finally came. (See Matthew 20:1–16.)

“If you have taken missteps in your youth, don’t let discouragement overcome you. The Lord’s judgments are not spiritual grade-point averages—with past sins and mistakes averaged into the final grade. He has promised that ‘he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more’ (D&C 58:42).

“So, if you are not where you want to be, decide today to get there.
“Our lifetime degree will be graded on how well we live up to the covenants made in our saving ordinances—baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, washings, anointings, endowments, and sealings.
“You can cross the finish line with everyone else.
“’Go forward and not backward. Courage, … and on, on to the victory!’” (D&C 128:22).[iii]

Preparation
Running a race—and finishing it well—requires preparation. You wouldn’t show up for an ultramarathon without training. You wouldn’t apply for a job without updating your résumé or practicing for the interview. And you wouldn’t head into battle without armor.

So why would we face the trials of life without spiritual preparation?

Preparation doesn’t happen all at once. It comes slowly—drop by drop, step by step, choice by choice. Just like oil in the lamps of the wise virgins, it’s added little by little until we are ready when the moment comes (see Matthew 25:1–13). As Isaiah said, it’s “precept upon precept; line upon line” (Isaiah 28:10).

Strength training works the same way. You don’t wake up one day suddenly strong—like me! (Just kidding—that wasn’t in there.) You show up, consistently, even when it’s uncomfortable. And progress might not always feel visible. Some days, it might feel like you’re pushing against a boulder that isn’t moving. But over time, if you look closely, you’ll notice that you’ve grown stronger.

There’s a parable about a man who was asked by the Lord to push against a large rock every day. For years, he pushed. It never moved. Frustrated, he asked the Lord why he had to push on a rock that he could not budge. And the Lord gently replied, “I didn’t ask you to move it. I asked you to push. Look at your arms. Your legs. Your back. You have grown strong.” The transformation wasn’t about the rock but about the person.

Similar to Adam, when asked by the angel why he was offering sacrifices unto the Lord. “And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me” (Moses 5:6).
The reverse is also true. Stop lifting, and slowly, your strength fades. No matter how well you brush your teeth one day, you still have to do it again the next. Spiritual habits work the same way. Daily scripture study, prayer, church attendance, and service may seem small. But over time, they prepare us for whatever race, test, or trial lies ahead.

President Henry B. Eyring taught:
“There is another even more important preparation we must make for tests that are certain to come... What we will need then can’t be bought. It can’t be borrowed. It doesn’t store well. And it has to have been used regularly and recently… What we will need in our day of testing is a spiritual preparation… Great faith has a short shelf life… This is what I will do. I will go back to the Book of Mormon and drink deeply and often.”[iv]

Nourishment
In running, nourishment isn’t optional—it’s essential. Without it, your body will eventually “bonk.” You will run out of energy and hit a wall. Your muscles cramp. Your motivation fades. Your pace slows, and everything feels heavier—physically, mentally, spiritually.

Sometimes, we try to press forward through spiritual, emotional, or even physical trials without recognizing that we’re running on empty. We might look okay on the outside—but inside, we’re depleted.

When we’re low on spiritual fuel, it’s not that we’re weak—it’s that we’re undernourished. And just like a wise runner plans ahead with hydration and fuel, disciples of Christ must plan and prepare spiritually. We nourish our souls so we can endure the long, sometimes uphill, race ahead.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf beautifully taught:
“If you want to nourish a tree, you don’t splash water on the branches. You water the roots... Strong faith in Jesus Christ doesn’t happen overnight... The healthy, fruitful tree of faith requires intentional effort. And a vital part of that effort is making sure we are firmly rooted in Christ.”[v]

Aid stations
In Backyard Ultras, runners return to the starting line every hour. It’s a moment to pause, refuel, rehydrate, stretch, and hear a kind word. These brief stops don’t slow the runner down—they’re what keep the runner going.

Life offers us spiritual aid stations, too. Moments of rest and renewal. Places where heaven meets us and gives us what we need to keep moving forward.

The sacrament is one of those sacred aid stations. So is the temple. These aren’t interruptions to our race—they’re lifelines. They remind us that we’re not expected to run forever without help. In fact, God designed the race so we’d keep coming back to Him, again and again.

Just like in an ultra, aid stations are where we reset our focus, recover our strength, and remember why we’re running. Sometimes, they’re the only reason we’re able to get back up and go again.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said,
“Don’t give up… Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead... It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.”[vi]

When you find yourself at the edge of exhaustion—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—pause. Come to the aid station. Let Christ minister to you. Take the bread and water. Enter His house. Receive His peace. And then—start again, a little stronger, a little steadier, a little more full of hope.

Community
God never meant for us to run this race alone. He surrounds us with a spiritual support crew: family, friends, ward members, angels, and the Savior Himself. Each of them, in their own way, cheers us on.

As President Russell M. Nelson said:
“God wants us to work together and help each other. That is why He sends us to earth in families and organizes us into wards and stakes… We can accomplish so much more together than we can alone.”[vii]

My family and friends supported me during my race—through texts, prayers, cheers, and even physically joining me near the finish line. That support meant more than any medal. It reminded me that I wasn’t running just for me—I was part of something bigger. Even if I hadn’t finished, they still would’ve loved me. I still would’ve been proud, because I was faithful to my preparation, and I gave everything I had.

I remember seeing three little angels sitting near the finish line, cheering every runner who passed. I couldn't help but think that we have loved ones and angels on both sides of the veil cheering us on—especially when the race gets hard.

Choose your friends and companions wisely. Be prayerful and thoughtful about the people you date, spend time with, study with, and share your everyday life with. The people around you can either lift you up or pull you off course—so surround yourself with those who help you stay close to Christ.

Your Pace
In Hebrews, we read, “Let us lay aside every weight… and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

Life is not a sprint. It’s an endurance run. That’s why the Lord cautioned us not to “run faster than [we] have strength” (Mosiah 4:27). Because He knows what happens when we try to sprint through a lifetime meant for steady growth.

When you’re sprinting, you’re often in survival mode. You can’t enjoy the view. You don’t have the capacity to help someone else along the trail. And when you finally stop, you’re too depleted to do much else.

God never asked us to keep someone else’s pace. He asked us to keep moving—fully, intentionally, and with what strength we do have.

Elder Hugh B. Brown once told the story of a wild currant bush that was growing tall and strong, but with no fruit. So he pruned it down to a stump. He imagined the bush crying out, “How could you do this to me? I was growing so well!” But he gently replied:
“I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be… Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.”[viii]

Crossroads
Life doesn’t always give us a detailed map. Sometimes, like a GPS watch, it doesn’t correct your course until you’ve traveled down the path a short way. At those crossroads, we find ourselves asking, “Which way do I go?”

Elder Robert D. Hales taught in his Ten Axioms to Guide Your Life:
“So often we are tentative and don’t move forward with conviction. We feel our way along, as if we were afraid in the dark. It is so much better to turn on the light of faith and move ahead with energy and commitment. If our course is wrong, we will quickly recognize it and make the necessary adjustments. But if we pursue a course tentatively and indecisively, it is difficult to know whether it is right or wrong in time to correct it.”[ix]

In other words, move forward in faith. Don’t let fear or indecision paralyze you. The Lord can’t steer a parked car, but He can guide your path as you move forward with trust in Him.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and his son, Matthew, took a series of dirt roads to visit the Grand Canyon. With little daylight left, they came to a fork in the road. They were prompted to take the road to the left, only to quickly discover it was incorrect. That revelation gave them the confidence to move forward on the right road with certainty.

“Because we were prompted to take the road to the left, we quickly discovered which one was the right one. When we turned around and got on the right road, I was able to travel along its many unfamiliar twists and turnoffs perfectly confident I was headed in the right direction.

“If we had started on the right road, we might have driven for 30 minutes or so, become uneasy with the unfamiliar surroundings, and been tempted to turn back. If we had done that, we would have discovered the dead-end so late that it would have been too dark to find our way back in totally unfamiliar territory.”

The Hill
There comes a moment when the trail tilts steeply upward, and in that moment, you face a choice: either you conquer the hill, or the hill conquers you.

If you conquer it, that’s a win. Not just a physical one, but a spiritual one. You pressed forward when it was hard. You discovered new reserves of strength and courage. You now know something powerful about yourself: you can do hard things. And that changes you.

But if the hill conquers you, it’s not failure. It’s insight. It’s growth. It’s humility. You simply learned where your current limit is. That knowledge becomes your next step in training. The hill wasn’t your enemy. It was your teacher.

As Sister Tracy Y. Browning beautifully testified:
“I testify that placing your trust in Heavenly Father and in His prophets, whom He has sent, will help you to spiritually elevate and push you forward toward God’s expanded horizon… Your vantage will change because you will change. God knows that the higher you are, the farther you can see. Our Savior invites you to make that climb.”[x]

Some hills are short and sharp. Others are long and drawn out. And sometimes, the path to the top winds.

Switchbacks are those zigzagging trails that climb a hill gradually instead of all at once. They can feel slow. But they are designed to protect you from burnout. They preserve energy, build resilience, and help others follow behind.

You might not summit as quickly as you’d hoped. But when you do, the view will be different—because you will be different.

We strength-train spiritually so that when the hill comes, we can face it with courage. And even if we fall, we can get back up. We gain just a little more ground than we did yesterday.

Milestones
Milestones help us break the journey into manageable pieces. Instead of focusing on the overwhelming distance ahead, we focus on the next marker, whether it be a tree or a rock—something stationary. Sometimes, reaching that marker gives us the courage to keep going. Other times, we walk for a bit, then find our strength again at the next milestone.

But there’s one rule: you can’t set your sights on a moving object. If your focus is on the person ahead of you, you may never feel like you're progressing, never able to reach that elusive milestone.

Milestones help shift our focus from the exhausting question “How far do I have left?” to “What’s my next step?”

Elder Marvin J. Ashton said:
“To become a winner in the race for eternal life requires effort—constant work, striving, and enduring well with God’s help. But the key is that we must take it just one step at a time.”[xi]

Even slow progress is still progress when it’s moving toward your goal. Take me for example, it took me seven years to complete a two-year master's degree. If that’s not an ultramarathon, I don’t know what is.

Weaknesses
As we progress, we’re bound to feel sore. And that soreness is a signal. It’s how we discover areas that need attention, focus, and strengthening.

In running, pain often reveals imbalance or overuse. For me, it started with Achilles pain, then plantar fascia issues, and now IT band syndrome. Each new ache didn’t just point to a problem—it highlighted an opportunity to grow stronger, more aware, more intentional. Weakness helped narrow my focus, refine my routine, and ultimately strengthen my entire body.

The Apostle Paul taught:
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Weakness is transformational because Jesus Christ is involved.

In Ether 12:27, the Lord explained:
“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

Weakness makes us teachable. It softens us enough to receive grace. It invites us to depend on God, to let go of pride, and to trust the divine process of growth.

Rest Days
In training, rest days are where the real transformation happens. Muscles repair. Injuries heal. Strength builds. Without rest, fatigue compounds, motivation declines, and risk of injury increases. You don’t grow stronger by pushing nonstop—you grow stronger when you recover intentionally.

The same is true for our souls. God taught:
“Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do any work” Exodus 20:9–10.

The Sabbath is not just a commandment—it’s a gift. It’s God’s invitation to pause, reflect, recalibrate, and reconnect with Him.

Even just a quick pause throughout the week can release pressure and renew energy. A brief pause from screens. A moment of prayer. A walk in silence.

The Psalmist said it best:
“Be still, and know that I am God,” (Psalm 46:10).

Priorities
We live in a world that is constantly in motion. Work, school, family, and endless to-do lists compete for our attention. But the Lord has taught us that when we place Him first—not just when we have extra time, but in our best time—He magnifies our efforts. That’s the beauty of God’s arithmetic—He multiplies what we give Him.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband counseled:
“Whatever is on your to-do list, give equal time, not spare time, to the Lord... Take Him at His word. And give Him equal time.”[xii]

The world told me to run more, to push harder, to do more miles. But I gave what I could—and the Lord made up the difference.

President Henry B. Eyring shared a powerful example from his own life. While balancing an intense graduate program, he chose to dedicate his Sundays to Church service instead of study. It was a direct test of the Lord’s promise.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God... and all these things shall be added unto you,” (Matthew 6:33).

President Eyring recalled that despite not studying on Sundays like his classmates, understanding and insight would come in the few quiet minutes he had on Monday morning. The Lord kept His promise.

So when we prioritize our spiritual commitments—scripture study, prayer, the sacrament, temple worship—not only are we honoring Him, we’re opening the door for His help in every other area of our lives. He doesn’t just bless us spiritually—He helps us in our studies, our work, our relationships, and even our endurance.

The question becomes: Why wouldn’t we take advantage of that promise?

When we give God our first, not our leftovers, He gives us strength beyond our own. He doesn’t just fit into our schedule—He expands it. He doesn’t just ask for our time—He transforms it.

Conclusion
“Run Your Race” is an invitation. It’s a reminder that your life, your pace, your progress, and your purpose are yours—and they are sacred. God doesn’t expect you to run like anyone else. He’s not timing you against your neighbor. He’s asking for faithful effort—loop by loop, drop by drop, day by day. “Strive…” like the temple recommend questions ask.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[i] Tamara W. Runia, “Your Repentance Doesn’t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy,” General Conference, April 2025.

[ii] Gordon B. Hinckley, “Live Up To Your Inheritance,” General Conference, October 1983.

[iii] Robert D. Hales, “Ten Axioms to Guide Your Life,” Ensign, February 2007.

[iv] Henry B. Eyring, “Spiritual Preparedness: Start Early and Be Steady, General Conference, October 2005.

[v] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Nourish the Roots, and the Branches Will Grow,” General Conference, October 2024.

[vi] Jeffrey R. Holland, “An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” General Conference, October 1999.

[vii] Russell M. Nelson, “What We Are Learning and Will Never Forget,” General Conference, April 2021.

[viii] Hugh B. Brown, “The Currant Bush,” New Era, January 1973.

[ix] Robert D. Hales, “Ten Axioms to Guide Your Life,” Ensign, February 2007.

[x] Tracy Y. Browning, “Seeking Answers to Spiritual Questions,” General Conference, October 2024.

[xi] Marvin J. Ashton, “If Thou Endure It Well,” General Conference, October 1984.

[xii] Ronald A. Rasband, “Right Before Our Eyes,” General Conference, April 2025.