When Levi Petterson heard about the Go the Distance campaign happening this year, and Bishop Steve’s running efforts for Bishopdale College, he decided this was his chance to get on board.
“I've always wanted to run for something, and here is my chance,” says 17-year-old Levi, from the Parish of Golden Bay. Yet Levi has decided to not just run any kind of race, but something called a “backyard ultramarathon”. It’s the same challenge as an ultramarathon (which is typically 100 miles), but can be done from the discomfort of your own home! “I stumbled across a Canadian ultra runner called Andreas Klawitter who recently ran a backyard and documented his journey and experience, and one of his videos also helped me realise that I needed to join the Go the Distance campaign for Bishopdale.”
Here’s how a backyard marathon works: Each lap is 6.7km long, and runners have to start a new lap at the beginning of every hour. You must finish the 6.7 km lap in under one hour, or you’re disqualified. Once you’ve done your lap, you can have a rest until the next hour begins. If you finish a lap in 45 minutes, you get 15 minutes to rest, eat, and use the restroom before the next lap starts. If it takes you 55 minutes, you only get 5 minutes to catch your breath. The distance of 6.706 km is chosen because running it 24 times adds up to exactly 100 miles (160.9 km) which is an ultramarathon.
How do you win? The race doesn’t have a set length or end time. Instead it keeps going hour after hour, day and night, until only one runner manages to complete a final lap on their own.
“Some of these races can literally last for days!” says Levi. “My friends think I'm crazy for undertaking such an enduring race, I think I can use this race to grow closer to God and get a higher understanding of myself.”
In order to make his challenge happen, he’s had to keep a strict eye on training, nutrition and gathering a support team to help him Go the Distance.
“For such a big event you have to have a crew, and for me that is going to be Will Poil on Saturday and my parents at night. I have begun training and planning already, which makes me feel confident about race day.” notes Levi. “I think the biggest challenge for me is going to be the lack of sleep through the night, which I think will affect my overall performance the next day. In a backyard it is important to have foods that have high carbs in smaller portions, I will be eating bagels, bananas, and chocolate milk.”
The Christian writer Thomas Merton once described the “beautiful running” of deer. “It is an awe-inspiring thing” he noted. “Yet a perfectly ordinary, everyday seeing. The deer reveals to me something essential in myself!”
Prayer is often about finding wonder in the ordinary things of life. So is running, as it can remind the runner of the simple joy of creation, and of being a beloved creature of God.
For Levi this run is not only about getting fit, enduring a challenge, or even raising money for Bishopdale College. It’s also a spiritual practice, and a physical way of praying.
You can support Levi with his Backyard for Bishopdale happening on the 12th of September here.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
When Levi Petterson heard about the Go the Distance campaign happening this year, and Bishop Steve’s running efforts for Bishopdale College, he decided this was his chance to get on board.
“I've always wanted to run for something, and here is my chance,” says 17-year-old Levi, from the Parish of Golden Bay. Yet Levi has decided to not just run any kind of race, but something called a “backyard ultramarathon”. It’s the same challenge as an ultramarathon (which is typically 100 miles), but can be done from the discomfort of your own home! “I stumbled across a Canadian ultra runner called Andreas Klawitter who recently ran a backyard and documented his journey and experience, and one of his videos also helped me realise that I needed to join the Go the Distance campaign for Bishopdale.”
Here’s how a backyard marathon works: Each lap is 6.7km long, and runners have to start a new lap at the beginning of every hour. You must finish the 6.7 km lap in under one hour, or you’re disqualified. Once you’ve done your lap, you can have a rest until the next hour begins. If you finish a lap in 45 minutes, you get 15 minutes to rest, eat, and use the restroom before the next lap starts. If it takes you 55 minutes, you only get 5 minutes to catch your breath. The distance of 6.706 km is chosen because running it 24 times adds up to exactly 100 miles (160.9 km) which is an ultramarathon.
How do you win? The race doesn’t have a set length or end time. Instead it keeps going hour after hour, day and night, until only one runner manages to complete a final lap on their own.
“Some of these races can literally last for days!” says Levi. “My friends think I'm crazy for undertaking such an enduring race, I think I can use this race to grow closer to God and get a higher understanding of myself.”
In order to make his challenge happen, he’s had to keep a strict eye on training, nutrition and gathering a support team to help him Go the Distance.
“For such a big event you have to have a crew, and for me that is going to be Will Poil on Saturday and my parents at night. I have begun training and planning already, which makes me feel confident about race day.” notes Levi. “I think the biggest challenge for me is going to be the lack of sleep through the night, which I think will affect my overall performance the next day. In a backyard it is important to have foods that have high carbs in smaller portions, I will be eating bagels, bananas, and chocolate milk.”
The Christian writer Thomas Merton once described the “beautiful running” of deer. “It is an awe-inspiring thing” he noted. “Yet a perfectly ordinary, everyday seeing. The deer reveals to me something essential in myself!”
Prayer is often about finding wonder in the ordinary things of life. So is running, as it can remind the runner of the simple joy of creation, and of being a beloved creature of God.
For Levi this run is not only about getting fit, enduring a challenge, or even raising money for Bishopdale College. It’s also a spiritual practice, and a physical way of praying.
You can support Levi with his Backyard for Bishopdale happening on the 12th of September here.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
