The race is done.
Yes, it was tough! But I’m deeply grateful to God for his sustaining grace in every stride.
Matt and I have gone the distance for Bishopdale College, and I’m thankful for everyone who has journeyed with us – praying, encouraging, and donating. Your support means so much. Because of you, we’re helping form the next generation of Christian leaders for the top of the South and beyond. We’re still a bit short of our $20,000 goal, so if you’re able to help us reach it, your generosity would be greatly appreciated.
Taking on a 100 kilometre ultramarathon was never just about running. For me, it began with a desire to stretch myself – physically, mentally and spiritually – and to do so for a cause that matters deeply. The ministry of Bishopdale College is outstanding. As a bishop, I’m acutely aware of the immense need to raise and form leaders for God’s mission in our cultural moment. Bishopdale lets us do that right here in the top of the South. Having a theological college in Nelson means accessible, contextual training for people who might otherwise never have the opportunity to study. It means forming leaders who understand the gospel needs and hopes of this region.
So on the morning of Saturday 9 May, as we stood outside the Greymouth Railway Station, ready to hit the West Coast Wilderness Trail, I knew the day of reckoning had come. I thought about the training I had done – wondering whether it was enough – and realised there was no turning back. The forecast promised rain, so I prepared my gear accordingly. But nothing quite prepares you for the unknown of your first 100km.
The first 30 kilometres were beautiful. Matt and I chatted about our pace, how we were feeling, and what lay ahead. Around the 5km mark, at about 5:30am, Marge and Robin – ministers of the Greymouth and Kumara Parish – met us on the track to cheer us on. Their presence was a gift.
As we approached Kumara, around the 30km mark, things changed. Matt began feeling unwell and slowed down. He encouraged me to go ahead, and that moment marked the start of a very different race for me.
The second half was a long, grinding journey through rain and strong winds. I slowed down significantly – not because of injury, but because my body felt sluggish, like the nutrition wasn’t reaching my muscles. The hills felt steeper, the progress slower, and without Matt beside me, the kilometres just stretched out.
There’s a lesson here about life and faith.
What kept me going was a simple decision: don’t think about the remaining distance – just get to the next kilometre. Trust the process. Keep moving. One step after another. Even slow progress is still progress.
As I ran, I found myself thinking about the leaders trained at Bishopdale. I wondered how their own “race” of study or ministry was going. Were they feeling the same discouragement, the same fatigue, the same sense of slow progress? It became an opportunity to pray for them – for encouragement, for perseverance, and for the support of companions on the journey. Running alone made me realise how vital it is for leaders to have people beside them.
Yet even in the solitude, I was deeply aware of God’s presence sustaining me. I prayed often that my foot would not slip. Scriptures flowed through my mind – especially Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
At the 80k mark, something shifted. I felt confident I would finish, not by my strength alone, but with God’s help.
Seeing my family near the end was a huge boost. My daughter held up a handmade poster, and that simple act of love gave me the energy to run the final stretch. Although my watch insisted I had already completed 100k, the finish line was still ahead – an almost comical reminder that sometimes the end feels like it keeps moving. But I gave everything I had left and crossed the line smiling.
Relief, gratitude, and joy washed over me. I had run 101.74km at a pace averaging 7:11 per kilometre, with a total time of 12:11:34.
Reflecting on the journey – the training, the cause, the struggle, the success – I’m overwhelmed with gratitude! So many people encouraged me, prayed for me, trained with me, and gave generously to support Bishopdale. Even the comments on social media have warmed my heart. Returning to an enthusiastic welcome at the Anglican Centre and Bishopdale this week reminded me again that this wasn’t just my race. It was ours.
This was a race of endurance. Two verses have carried me throughout. Hebrews 12:1-2, which calls us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, and Galatians 6:9, which urges us not to grow weary in doing good. These words took on flesh during the long, lonely kilometres on the trail.
And there are many witnesses watching, cheering, and learning from your perseverance. You never know who you might encourage simply by continuing.
Praise be to God! Go Bishopdale College!
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.
The race is done.
Yes, it was tough! But I’m deeply grateful to God for his sustaining grace in every stride.
Matt and I have gone the distance for Bishopdale College, and I’m thankful for everyone who has journeyed with us – praying, encouraging, and donating. Your support means so much. Because of you, we’re helping form the next generation of Christian leaders for the top of the South and beyond. We’re still a bit short of our $20,000 goal, so if you’re able to help us reach it, your generosity would be greatly appreciated.
Taking on a 100 kilometre ultramarathon was never just about running. For me, it began with a desire to stretch myself – physically, mentally and spiritually – and to do so for a cause that matters deeply. The ministry of Bishopdale College is outstanding. As a bishop, I’m acutely aware of the immense need to raise and form leaders for God’s mission in our cultural moment. Bishopdale lets us do that right here in the top of the South. Having a theological college in Nelson means accessible, contextual training for people who might otherwise never have the opportunity to study. It means forming leaders who understand the gospel needs and hopes of this region.
So on the morning of Saturday 9 May, as we stood outside the Greymouth Railway Station, ready to hit the West Coast Wilderness Trail, I knew the day of reckoning had come. I thought about the training I had done – wondering whether it was enough – and realised there was no turning back. The forecast promised rain, so I prepared my gear accordingly. But nothing quite prepares you for the unknown of your first 100km.
The first 30 kilometres were beautiful. Matt and I chatted about our pace, how we were feeling, and what lay ahead. Around the 5km mark, at about 5:30am, Marge and Robin – ministers of the Greymouth and Kumara Parish – met us on the track to cheer us on. Their presence was a gift.
As we approached Kumara, around the 30km mark, things changed. Matt began feeling unwell and slowed down. He encouraged me to go ahead, and that moment marked the start of a very different race for me.
The second half was a long, grinding journey through rain and strong winds. I slowed down significantly – not because of injury, but because my body felt sluggish, like the nutrition wasn’t reaching my muscles. The hills felt steeper, the progress slower, and without Matt beside me, the kilometres just stretched out.
There’s a lesson here about life and faith.
What kept me going was a simple decision: don’t think about the remaining distance – just get to the next kilometre. Trust the process. Keep moving. One step after another. Even slow progress is still progress.
As I ran, I found myself thinking about the leaders trained at Bishopdale. I wondered how their own “race” of study or ministry was going. Were they feeling the same discouragement, the same fatigue, the same sense of slow progress? It became an opportunity to pray for them – for encouragement, for perseverance, and for the support of companions on the journey. Running alone made me realise how vital it is for leaders to have people beside them.
Yet even in the solitude, I was deeply aware of God’s presence sustaining me. I prayed often that my foot would not slip. Scriptures flowed through my mind – especially Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
At the 80k mark, something shifted. I felt confident I would finish, not by my strength alone, but with God’s help.
Seeing my family near the end was a huge boost. My daughter held up a handmade poster, and that simple act of love gave me the energy to run the final stretch. Although my watch insisted I had already completed 100k, the finish line was still ahead – an almost comical reminder that sometimes the end feels like it keeps moving. But I gave everything I had left and crossed the line smiling.
Relief, gratitude, and joy washed over me. I had run 101.74km at a pace averaging 7:11 per kilometre, with a total time of 12:11:34.
Reflecting on the journey – the training, the cause, the struggle, the success – I’m overwhelmed with gratitude! So many people encouraged me, prayed for me, trained with me, and gave generously to support Bishopdale. Even the comments on social media have warmed my heart. Returning to an enthusiastic welcome at the Anglican Centre and Bishopdale this week reminded me again that this wasn’t just my race. It was ours.
This was a race of endurance. Two verses have carried me throughout. Hebrews 12:1-2, which calls us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, and Galatians 6:9, which urges us not to grow weary in doing good. These words took on flesh during the long, lonely kilometres on the trail.
And there are many witnesses watching, cheering, and learning from your perseverance. You never know who you might encourage simply by continuing.
Praise be to God! Go Bishopdale College!
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
