Faithful and devoted

In less than three years of existence, Run for God has experienced substantial growth and drawn national attention to its 12-week program that combines Bible study and running.

The program, started by Mitchell Hollis at Grove Level Baptist Church in Dalton in January 2010, now sponsors two 5Ks, a half marathon and a triathlon.

The local group’s youth participants in the latter event are right in line with that growth. And this week they’ll have a chance to add more of that national attention to their combination of sports and faith.

Twelve local youth triathletes from ages 6 to 16 will represent the Run for God team Saturday at the Ironkids National Finals in Des Moines, Iowa.

For the senior age group (13-16), athletes must swim 300 yards, bike 8 miles and run 2 miles. Those distances are 150 yards, 4 miles and 1 mile for the intermediate age group (9-11) and 50 yards, 2 miles and 500 yards for the junior age group (6-8).

Lane Hollis, a four-time qualifier for nationals, said he participates in Run for God because it has two things he likes.

“I like running and I like God,” he said. “I get to worship God and do my favorite sport at the same time.”

Lane will be joined by Kaitlin Bryant, Payton Gordon, Kirsten Hixon, Landon Hollis, Brett Hollis, Ethan Langford, Lucas Mulkey, Gavin Ollis, Matthew Redmond, Kate Roberts and Kyle Roberts. The group will begin its 13-hour bus trip northwest today, but they’ve already gone a long way to get there, with practices starting in March.

To qualify for nationals, the athletes had to travel to Columbia, Mo., in July and place in the top five within their age group. Everyone that represented the local Run for God group advanced.

But like anything associated with Run for God, crossing the finish line in a given time is not the primary focus.

“We created this to use the sport for (God’s) glory,” Mitchell Hollis, who acts as head coach for the youth triathlon team, said of the overall Run for God program. “We use the sport to spread faith.”

That’s just as true with Run for God’s youth triathlon training group, which started last year with 14 participants, grew to 30 this summer and has a dozen more athletes already expressing interest in joining next year.

Even while competing, the Run for God junior triathletes will let it be known what they represent.

Each Run for God member carries a guide called “Steps to Peace with God” and will hand them out to other triathletes who ask about Run for God.

“You get to reach out to people,” said junior triathlete Megan Johnston. “It’s a cool way to minister.”

Mitchell Hollis — who is assisted by coaches David Redmond, Andrea Woodason and Sofia Mendoza — said another thing that draws attention to the group is the Run for God shirts they wear during events.

“People and kids will come up and ask about our shirts,” he said, “and that opens a door for us to witness to them. It’s an effective way to plant that seed.”

David Hendrix, an adult member of Run for God and the youth triathlon team’s Bible study coach, said the junior triathlon presents a contrast in the athletic world.

“With the triathlon, there’s no bench, and every kid is on the field,” he said. “There aren’t a bunch of mad parents yelling at the officials, and the coaches don’t have to hear grief from parents.”

Even strictly from an athletic standpoint, Run for God’s representatives in Iowa may have different goals than many other triathletes.

“The priority is not beating the other kids,” Mitchell Hollis said. “It’s beating your own personal record. My focus used to be my own PR and what I could do. Now, my joy is seeing these kids cross the finish line.”

Said Hendrix, “They don’t have to be first across that finish line to be a winner. As long as they shave their time, they’re winners.”

Martie Johnston, whose daughters Abigail and Megan are members of the training group, said she has seen Hollis send out runners who have already finished a race to go run alongside others so they won’t have to finish alone.

“It’s a great family that encourages one another,” she said. “My kids have grown physically and spiritually, and we are blessed to be a part of it.”

Hendrix is happy to see that influence spread.

“This is reaching thousands of people,” he said. “Parents and kids who are not active in church will come out and know there’s something different here.”

When Mitchell Hollis started the Run for God program, it was because he believed the passion for running he had developed two years earlier needed to incorporate his faith. While he’s happy to see the results of what has come from that change, he’s not about to take credit.

“This has changed lives,” Hollis said of Run for God. “God has done it. Not me.”

For more information about Run for God visit runforgod.com.

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Faithful and devoted

Run for God youth triathletes have trained since March

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