Based on Hebrews 12:1, this carving illustrates the following words:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

The image of the marathon runner must have been in the mind of the writer of Hebrews when he chose this metaphore to illustrate our Christian journey. His words are similar to what St. Paul wrote in
I Corinthians 9:24,

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."

and in II Timothy 4:7,

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith".

This passage from Hebrews 12 follows hard on chapter 11 which is often referred to as the "Bible Hall of Faith". We can conclude from these two chapters that we are being constantly observed from the heavenly realm by those who have already completed the race and received their prize. They cheer us on, their lives of faith serving as a constant encouragement to us. They witness to us that the race is worth running and that the race, by God's help, will be won.
But to run the race, we must shed our sinful ways. Sin holds us back. Anything that goes against God is an encumbrance which entangles us. A runner needs no extra weight.

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