The city of Corinth hosted the Isthmian Games which were famous in the Roman Empire and featured running and boxing. Many travelers came to these games which were held every other year. Paul used the imagery from the games as an analogy for living one's Christians life with discipline, self-control and single-minded focus.
He makes a lesser to greater statement to highlight the greater importance of the "race" in which we run. The prize at the Isthmian games was a wreath woven from dried celery which Paul calls "perishable." The prize for the Christian is eschatological glory which is imperishable. To "win" is not to triumph over other Christians because we all run for the same prize.
In the Games only one wins and the others lose. The athletes at the Games in Corinth trained rigorously and gave up many aspects of ordinary life with the goal of winning the race. Likewise, Christians are to be focused on the goal of being found in Christ when He comes in glory at the parousia.
We cite passages in Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and 2 Timothy which also point to future glory and the great honor we have to share life together now in Christ and look forward to being with Him and one another at His coming. Many preachers today mock Christians who live with focus on being prepared in light of His coming, calling us "defeated" or "escapist."
What they fail to see is that Paul's many statements about the parousia would place him in the cross-hairs of their mockery. We are to believe God's future promises and live so as to not be "disqualified" from the race.
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