I Corinthians 9:25,26 “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:”
If a Christian wants to win the race set before us (by God), then there will have to be some things you deliberately avoid. It will have to be a choice you make. Even though the reward for people running an earthly race is only temporal, an athlete will forego some things because the prize is worth more to them than the things left alone.
For an athlete, the things they choose to be temperate in are apt to include fast food, a lot of snack foods, and staying up late at night. Instead, they can be found practicing regularly trying to improve their time and stamina. They avoid a lot of TV or computer time because their goal is to win.
The people who are at the top of their game practice often. They do not spend a lot of time hanging out with their friends, doing nothing. They know that they cannot win without putting some serious effort into getting ready for the main event.
The main event for the believer is two-fold: 1. what we do on earth for the Lord, and 2. when we stand before Him at the Judgment Seat. Of course, when our life is over here, you cannot change any of it, since there is no second chance.
Paul says in these two verses that the crown the believer is after is worth far more than the crown an earthly race-runner will receive – and it is one we will be able to celebrate forever. Of course, it will be by the Lord’s grace we earn it. But it will be far more valuable to hear from Him: “Well, done, thou good and faithful servant,” than having heard the accolades of any number of people down here.