Running well is punching yourself

So I do not run aimlessly; I wdo not box as one xbeating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and ykeep it under control,2 lest after preaching to others zI myself should be disqualified.

27: I pummel my body and make it a slave 

I used to think that the running and boxing in these verses were two separate instances of physical activity analogies of Christian living. It was only yesterday when I think I came to a deeper understanding of what it means. 

It begins in 26: First we see the semi-colons. They tell us that what comes after is an elaboration or something of the same meaning as what is before. This already tells us that the boxing analogy is talking about the same thing as "not run[ning] aimlessly".

Next we see "I do not box as one beating the air". Now beating the air means missing your target, attempting to hit your opponent but missing. 

What is interesting is when we see 27 because it starts with the word "but", meaning that what will be said is the antithesis of what was said, namely, beating the air. So the meaning we get is that disciplining the body is somehow the opposite of beating the air. 

If we ask the question of "who is this opponent that Paul is boxing against?" we quickly realise that it must be referring to the body. And so he is saying that he does not run aimlessly because he hits his body hard and does not miss and brings it under his authority. 

Running well means... beating yourself up real good. Whenever your body protests against the things of God you give it a good smackdown. You pummel it to pulp and make it do God's bidding.

This smacks satisfyingly of radical Christian living. 

I love it.