“From Tripping to Triumph,” For the Strength of Youth, July 2024.
From Tripping to Triumph
You should never give up, even when you fall. Believe me.
Photograph from 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships on July 8, 2023, from USATF
In 2022 I ran the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the United States national championships. The race is about seven-and-a-half laps around the track, and there are five wooden barriers per lap that you have to jump over, including one right before a pit of water.
I was two laps into the race when the guy in front of me stumbled, and I almost ran into him. He made it over the barrier, but I didn’t—I fell.
I popped back up kind of slowly because I felt a little deflated. I thought, “Do I quit and just step off the track?” But I was prepared. I’d decided beforehand that I’d keep going if I fell, so I started running again. I still wanted to give it everything I had even if I didn’t win.
It took me two laps before I even caught up to the guy at the back of the front pack. Soon there were three laps to go and then two laps to go. I started to think I might be able to make the top three. But I was pretty tired, and I got passed by a couple of guys with half a lap left. I was in fourth, but then I had a really good last water jump. And I thought, “Oh man, I might be able to win this thing.”
As I finished that last 50 meters, I realized I was going to win. It was very surreal. I thought, “Wow, am I actually winning this thing right now?” And I did. I won the race after falling.
Later, I realized that there are some lessons we can learn from what happened.
1. Be Patient with Yourself
When I fell, I wanted to catch up as quickly as possible. But I had to pace myself so I didn’t get burned out. There’s a scripture that says, “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). In life, you don’t have to succeed right away. Sometimes it takes a while.
2. Keep Going
It’s normal to feel like you want to give up sometimes. When I fell, I didn’t think I could win, but I decided to keep going. There is always hope when you fall down—you just need to get up and try again. The Savior will help you through the challenges you have. Hang on to what you know is true, and reach out and ask others for help. Things will eventually get better.
3. Rely on Jesus Christ
I wasn’t guaranteed to win the race after I fell. But when we fall in the gospel, when we make mistakes or sin, we can always come unto Christ, sincerely repent, and be forgiven. He will help us get back up. We have great potential—the potential to be better, to do better. Even if we fall again and again, if we keep repenting and trying to follow the Savior, then He promises we can win the race of life.