Running With Endurance

Running is no easy feat, and Taylor cross-country runner and NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Champion Jaynie Halterman ’27 confirmed this. There are times when her mind tells her she cannot finish a race, that the task before her is too difficult. "But then in those moments, I have to flip my mindset," Halterman said. "I have to tell myself, 'No, I can do hard things. Christ is with me and will help me do these hard things."

Running Towards Balance 

Since her freshman year of high school, Halterman had known she wanted to run as a collegiate athlete. However, that’s not all she wanted. In looking at colleges to attend, Halterman chose Taylor because she did not want to make her life revolve around athletics. “That’s something I struggled with all through high school,” she said. “It led to a lot of struggles because running became an idol. So I knew I wanted a place where I could have that balance, where my faith and my community and my sport and my schooling were all going to be important, where I wouldn’t be seen as just an athlete.”

As a student at Taylor, intentional time with the Lord, her floor, and communities outside of her team has helped her remain rooted in her identity in Christ rather than in her sport. Additionally, Halterman makes it a goal to leave an impression on her competitors. She recalled a recent race when somebody approached her and told her they remembered her from a past meet because she radiated joy and humility. “Being able to inspire people in that way is so encouraging,” she said. 

Christlike Culture

Quinn White, former head cross-country coach at Taylor, mindfully fosters a team environment centered around Christ. Every year, the team has what they call “One Word.” Its purpose is to focus on a word and apply it to the season. Recently, that word was love. “So everything is literally centered around love,” White said. “Even in loving our competitors. For us, running is a talent that God’s given us. We want to use that talent to glorify Him, so He must be the center of it.” The team leans into running because they love it—even the hard parts. “We’re going to have good meets, and we’re going to have bad meets,” White said. “We’re going to have things that test us and make us sad, and other things that make us really happy. We’ve got to keep calm and continue just to endure to the finish line.” 

Hebrews 12:1 urges us to run with endurance the race set before us, reminding us to persevere through the race of life. Our endurance comes from Jesus Christ, who faced the cross and endured it for the joy that was set before Him. It is that mindset that Halterman and her team carry with them as they run for his glory.