Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews:1:1-2a)

Growing up, my father was always a fantastic runner. A really good runner. He ran a sub-five-minute mile in combat boots in Vietnam in the early 1970s. He almost qualified for the Boston Marathon, missing the cutoff by only three minutes when he was in his mid-50s. He described the qualifying race as feeling like his “foot was broken.” It was one of the greatest disappointments of his life that he didn’t qualify.

Me, on the other hand? I loved to run with my Dad. But I could never really keep up. I ran track … and was good, but never “very good.” My fastest mile was 6 min 13 sec, but I just couldn’t seem to break that six-minute threshold. For anyone who is a competitive runner, they are thinking, “You should have found another sport!”

Often, when you get to the running stage of the race, your legs feel like jello! But, somehow, they still follow whatever your mind commands them to do.

But … One of my favorite memories … I remember beating my father on a recreational run (literally!) only one time in my life when I came home from college and was running Division III Track at my school. Honestly, I think my Dad was just having a bad day … but I remember he was proud. Very proud. And I remember how it felt to run … fast, and free!

I’ve always loved the verse in Hebrews that says we must “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” The Scriptures remind us that we have a clear and distinct purpose, and we must not give up! We must hold onto hope - and persevere - to the finish line … even when it is challenging and painful … Regardless of the cost.

In 2014, my dad died of lung cancer because of his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Just a year or so before, he’d been in phenomenal shape, and he never smoked a cigarette in his life. I was devastated. That year, I had just begun exploring triathlons, and I loved the challenge of how your body feels moving from swimming to biking to running. Often, when you get to the running stage of the race, your legs feel like jello! But, somehow, they still follow whatever your mind commands them to do.

I would tease that I was “half a stud” after only finishing half of the Iron Man Distance 

In June 2014, my dad watched me compete in my first Olympic distance triathlon (1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run) in Jamestown, Virginia. It was a privilege to have him there, and at the end of the race, he told me how proud he was of me. But, it was also clear that he grieved being unable to run alongside me. He said, “Oh, how I wish I could run again.”

My Dad passed from this life a few weeks later.

I’ve always been challenge-motivated. One of the best ways to get me to accomplish something is to tell me that I can’t do it! And that year, a year of significant grief - that’s how I felt about the half-iron man … So, a few months later, September 2014, I competed in a half-iron-man distance triathlon - 1.2 miles swimming, 56 miles biking, and 13.1 (half-marathon distance) running - 70.3 miles total. I barely trained, and I had no business attempting that distance. Nonetheless, I calculated how long it would take me to finish within the eight-hour limit. By sheer willpower, determination, and an abundance of the grace of God, I finished in 7 hours, 58 minutes, and 28 seconds. I was the last official finisher with a few dozen others following after me, who unfortunately did not “medal.”

Around then, I decided - one day - I wanted to complete an entire Iron Man distance race. I would tease that I was “half a stud” after only finishing half of the Iron Man Distance … which seems quite “impossible” for someone like me—a mediocre athlete - stubborn, yes, but not someone with renowned physical prowess.

Such a feat would demand the sheer and utter dependence on God. As the executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), I believe “peace is possible” in the most unseemly circumstances. Now, more than ever, peace seems far off on the horizon. But, I profoundly believe that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, goes before us … and that through grace, God gives us just what we need to keep taking every step forward to accomplish whatever He has called us to do. Peace is possible. And justice will prevail.

That’s why I continue to swim, bike, and run - however long the distance.

I am running a half marathon (13.1 miles) for peace - that peace might prevail and come quickly when it is so desperately needed

I believe that the current realities in the Middle East are not the end of the story. As the war on Gaza and the recent blockade just surpassed two and a half months… and the families of hostages who remain in the enclave continue to pray and long for them to be brought home, my faith in Christ inspires me to believe and work toward a different future - one where Palestinians have self-determination and freedom and Israelis have security and safety and where all people in the Middle East have human rights, equality, and hope for a better future for their children.

On May 25, 2025, I am competing in another half-iron man event … This race, I am swimming 1.2 miles for the people of Gaza who do not have access to food, water, and humanitarian assistance. I am biking 56 miles for all of the people who have lost loved ones, including those killed on October 7th, and the more than 50 thousand Palestinians who have been killed in Gaza since the horrors of the Hamas attacks. And I am running a half marathon (13.1 miles) for peace - that peace might prevail and come quickly when it is so desperately needed, not only for Palestinians and Israelis, but for Lebanese, Syrians, and so many others in the Middle East.

I aim to complete the full Iron Man distance in an event on September 20, 2025, to raise money for our efforts at Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP). My goal? To raise $1,000 for every mile I compete … all 140.6 miles of them. I have some health challenges - asthma, tracehomalacia, and some pulmonary challenges … so the triathlons are challenging enough in their own right … but then the limitations of my physical body and the inhibitions of this world also seem to get in the way! All of this just demands that I - and we - remember the truth that God will equip us with what we need so that we might be faithful to that which He has called us to do. May it be so.

Mae is the executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), of which the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) is a member communion. If you want to learn more about her Iron Man Journey, you can visit here or watch this video about why she chose this adventure.