How do you run the race?

He was widely acknowledged as the greatest strategist in his era. He could call on winds and storms to aid his tactics. His wizardry forms part of his resources. In a time of warlords and feudal chiefs, he built a kingdom for the smallest of them all. He lured "Tiger" generals and was seen without equal by his peers. He was the one who people saw as the hope for the Han unification.

I am a Romance of the Three Kingdom fan - an equivalent to the typical petrol head. Despite incapacitated by my semi-literate Mandarin, I developed a fond interest in this history. I have probably gone through the Chinese DVDs several rounds and can't seem to get bored of the show. While the summer weather tempts many for a run and a day in the park, my unfortunate hamstring got me to stay in for a Saturday of rest. And I drew a disc from the 72 DVDs of the RTK series for a watch. It was the episode that Zhuge Liang died.

Fresh from a failed ambush to kill Sima Yi, Zhuge Liang, who was into his fifth expedition to conquer the Northern empire (Cao Cao's legacy) knew time was not on his side. Coming down with sickness and overwork, Zhuge foresaw his imminent death and began to pass instructions for life after him. I have seen this episode about four times and something got clearer now. On his deathbed, he reminisced about his early life in recluse, the initial battles and struggles and the consequent victories. But one thing was clear to him (and me) now - his time is up. His goal will not be accomplished. The final scene before his death saw him looking at a flag which bores "Conquer the North" to which he said it will not be fulfilled by him.

We can often start so well and carry abundant brilliance compared to our peers. My time in investment banking and audit has exposed me to top talents, some young chaps making Managing Directors before thirty. However life is a marathon and is not judged on how well we do the first 400m. Nor what we have achieved during that short time. As I looked at his moments before the death scene, I asked myself - What will be my final thoughts? Have I been a man after God's heart? Have I lived a life worth living? And when I come before the throne of judgement - will I receive the acclaim and praise from Him, saying "Well done my son"?

No wonder Paul, in his final letter to Timothy, wrote "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept my faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

The road ahead is very long, arduous and tough and definitely fraught with trials and temptations. But God has promised to be with us, as our guiding light. While the wrinkles will come, the pressures of work, married life and parenthood pile, yet we can take comfort that "we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

And in the spirit of the Olympics, and with the sportsman/sportswoman in everyone of us - how would you like to run the race? Do you want to be a Ben Johnson or a Derek Redmond?