Going Deeper with Long Distance Running

Joy Richter is a TeachBeyond member who has been serving at Black Forest Academy (BFA) in Kandern, Germany for over two years. During that time, she has served as an English Language Learning teacher, as well as an assistant cross-country coach and the head long-distance coach for the school’s track and field team.

“My favorite part about track is the way I get to interact with and impact students in a way that is unique from the classroom,” Joy says. “This has meant a lot of bonding on long runs or during group workouts. Honestly, most of what I know about the various cultures our students represent, comes from those moments scattered over practices. I've gotten to converse at length about culture, transition, spirituality, and the simple ups and downs of the week in this way, over a run or chatting as we do crunches together.”

Joy explains the many ways that time in training has given her opportunities to hear from students in ways that don’t always happen in the classroom. In one instance, she connected with a new BFA student by sharing her own experiences of transitioning into a new country and culture. Another instance had an 11th grade student encouraging a graduating 12th grader who was struggling over college and future plans. And finally, Joy mentions how great it is to celebrate PRs (personal records): even when a team is scored overall, running allows opportunities for individual achievements; Joy likes to set goals with her students and, she delights in watching her students improve and gain confidence over the course of a season.

The Black Forest Academy Track and Field Team took 2nd place this year. While this is certainly a great achievement, it is also the result of all the great moments that make up a season. These have included hosting a local track meet, that allowed the larger BFA community to both volunteer as well as cheer for the student athletes. Joy shared a story where one of the students was asked "Why are students from BFA always smiling?" to which my athlete replied, "Because we love Jesus!"

Sports are a way to exercise and have fun, but it is also an opportunity to worship. Joy shared a chant that they use at the end of track practice: “"Thank you, God, for the ability to run fast, jump high, and throw far. Amen."

We are thankful for the gifts of our bodies and the ways we can use them to give glory to God, to grow in strength, and to form meaningful connections with people we may never interact with otherwise. It is a helpful reminder of how we can use our gifts and passions to bring glory to God in many different forms.