In 2019, the world watched something extraordinary happen. Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge crossed the finish line in Vienna in a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds, becoming the first person in history to run a marathon in under two hours. For decades, experts believed this feat was physically impossible. The two-hour barrier had become one of sport’s greatest challenges.
To put that achievement into perspective, a marathon is 42.2 kilometres long. Kipchoge maintained an average pace of approximately 2 minutes and 50 seconds per kilometre for the entire distance. Imagine trying to maintain that pace while running laps of our school oval, even for a few minutes. Most of us would be gasping for air after the first lap.
But while Kipchoge’s achievement was remarkable, and while he rightly sits at the forefront of this historic moment, what is often overlooked is that he did not actually achieve it alone.
The strategy behind making the impossible possible was a carefully selected team of elite athletes who ran alongside him throughout the race. These athletes were not there to chase records for themselves. They were there to help someone else push the limits of what was thought humanly possible.
In a precisely designed formation, they took turns setting the pace, shielding him from the wind, encouraging him, and helping him stay focused on the goal. Every runner involved was capable of achieving great things individually, yet on that day they chose to use their strength to help someone else succeed. And together, they achieved what no individual had ever done before.
Our world often celebrates individual success. We admire the highest achievers, the best performers, and those who stand on the podium. Yet behind almost every great accomplishment is a team of people who have encouraged, supported, challenged, and journeyed alongside that person.
The same is true in a school community. No student succeeds alone. Behind academic achievements are teachers who invest countless hours, parents who provide support and encouragement, friends who inspire one another, and mentors who walk alongside students through both successes and setbacks.
Perhaps even more importantly, Kipchoge knew he could not do it on his own. He did not arrive in Vienna declaring, “Watch me do this by myself.” Instead, he humbly embraced the support around him. He trusted the wisdom of coaches, the strategy of his team, and the encouragement of the runners alongside him. He understood that if success came, it would be celebrated together. Equally, if he fell short, they would carry that disappointment together as well. There is something profoundly powerful about that.
At Maranatha Christian School, this is one of the lessons we hope our students learn. As simple and perhaps as cliché as it sounds, we really are better together.
We are better together when we push one another to achieve our academic best.
We are better together when a friend reminds us to stay focused in class because they care about our learning.
We are better together when we ask a teacher for help with a concept we do not understand.
We are better together when we encourage a teammate who is struggling.
We are better together when we include someone sitting alone.
We are better together when we celebrate another person’s success rather than compete against it.
This idea is not merely a nice sentiment; it is a deeply biblical principle. Throughout Scripture, God consistently calls His people into community. Moses needed Aaron and Hur to support him. David had Jonathan. Jesus surrounded Himself with disciples and sent them out together. The early church shared life, encouraged one another, prayed together, and carried one another’s burdens. The Christian life was never designed to be lived in isolation. The Apostle Paul describes believers as parts of one body, each with different gifts, strengths, and responsibilities, working together for a common purpose.
“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” 1 Corinthians 12:26
What a beautiful picture of community.
Just as Kipchoge’s fellow runners shared in his success, we are called to rejoice in one another’s achievements, carry one another’s burdens, and work together towards a common purpose. When we do this, we reflect God’s design for His people.
The lesson from Kipchoge’s historic run is simple yet profound: some goals are too great to achieve alone. Whether in sport, education, faith, or life, we grow stronger when we run alongside one another. Together, we can overcome obstacles, reach new heights, and achieve things that may once have seemed impossible.
So, as members of the Maranatha community, perhaps there is a question worth reflecting on: Who are you inviting into your race?
You may not be attempting to even run a marathon, but what goal, challenge, dream, or difficulty are you facing right now? Who is helping you carry the load? Who are you encouraging along the way? And who might need you to come alongside them so that together you can achieve something neither of you could accomplish alone?
After all, the most remarkable part of Kipchoge’s achievement was not simply that one man broke through a barrier. It was that an entire team came together to help make the impossible possible. And perhaps that is exactly how God intended it to be. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
Sarah Kapranov
Head of Senior School
Maranatha Christian School
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