Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Relay Thoughts

A few days ago I ran leg 4 of a relay in the Manitoba Marathon. When you start out at this point in the run you get to run beside fresh people starting out on their 5 mile journey as well as those who are beginning to dig down in their marathon. By the time I got to Lyndale Drive it was no longer fun. I felt guilty for passing every single marathoner. I wanted to apologize every time, but they looked like they were deep inside themselves and I didn't want to disturb them. It would have crushed me to be passed by fresh people at that point in the race, even knowing they are running a shorter distance. Oh how I admired each and every one of them as they were in the trenches at that point yet still had something inside to keep on going. To see their faces in the midst of struggle but still believing and chasing their dream reinforced that I need to keep at training, writing in the journal, and somehow believe that I can do this. My body can do the distance, I have no doubt. But its your spirit that gets you through a marathon and beyond....

3 comments:

  1. Hey there! Thanks for the pacing, you should not be feeling that way! Everyone of the relay runners passed along their energy as they went by, they had so much to give and it was great to suck it up as you went by. When you slowed to run with me for a bit I really felt like you gave me a sling shot into the next mile(that was mile 17 at the time!) Fresh enthusiasum is hard to find at mile 17, I can see why there is use of pacers in the ultras we've read about. Thanks again, you are awesome!

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  2. I really appreciate your comment. Just so you understand where I'm coming from; I yell "way to go relay" every time I was passed. If it was a child with a school team on their tee-shirt I'd yell "go __ -school" . Many relay runners turned back to thank me for the cheer and turned the admiration my way. It was a ying-yang of positive energy. Runners supporting runners ...young old, skinny, wide, short, tall... it's about people celebrating the synergy and the spirt of the moment. That's the message we should share. I really appreciate your comment though. Mike

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  3. You both have a great attitude. Hope I manage to harness some of that when I run my first full.....

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