Jan26

run with your legs to be fast, run with your mind to be faster, run with your heart to be unstoppable. – aalaynah thompson

Posted on by
Standard

167241-stock-photo-white-animal-movement-brown-fear-running

we trained together for a year

to be ready

for a long

3-day event

for charity

and

we thought

it would

also

 make us healthier

in the process.

***

except that

we weren’t

the most natural

or best

walkers/runners

but we pushed on

and for

many, many days

we walked

through town

or

in the countryside

or

on the road

or

inside the mall

with

the hardcore seniors

during blizzards

or

anywhere we could find

an open space.

***

funny-galapagos-olympics-tortoise-turtles-racing-grass-pics

then one day

upon arriving at a park

for another training day

we saw a race beginning

and

on a whim

we decided

to start late

and  join in

at the back

just for practice

and

we somehow

started moving up

in spite of ourselves

slowly but surely

until we were

near

the front of the pack

and suddenly

out of the blue

i got crazily competitive

not my usual mindset

at all

and i yelled out

‘i can take them!’

as i raced past

the front two people.

****

okay,

so

they happened to be

a very elderly man

and

a person with a noticeable limp

and

i

won the race

and

got a gold medal and a massage and a granola bar

and

i felt like

forrest gump

just dropping

into

the middle

of something

and

somehow

winning

by accident

and

it was

that moment of

crazy heart

that

made me unstoppable

and i’m sorry to have run past you –

people who thought you were going to win

and were in the front

and i know

you were old and infirm

but at last

i had found my pace

and my tribe

and

it was

quite a day.

****

photo-of-funny-animal

—

image credits: flickr.com

63 responses »

  6. This made me smile from the inside out! Then, I completely lost it when I saw the Galapogus Olympics…not to mention the medal, the massage, and the granola bar. It’s all about the swag!!

    I’m just returning to running after a botched knee surgery. My husband ran with me on Friday and commented that he would not be seen running in public with me any more. My hobble was so bad that he thought I’d required an emergency scope right there on the trail. I just thought it was rude that he (and my dog) left me for dead with a mile left.

    Whatever happened till death do us part?

    (Have a great week, Beth!)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • thanks, tric. it’s not really in my nature at all, except when playing trivia or doing crosswords ) for some reason, i just went for it. and was truly happy and surprised when i won by accident –

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  13. I just got back from my morning run Beth. What a lovely post. I run with the hope that some day I will be in a race, start small, and keep going. Forrest Gump is one of my favourite films -love how you felt like him. Here’s to more running, keeping the pace and small victories 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  15. I loved all the lead in for this win! You are the champion and you were ‘in it to win it!’ ha ha! I love a post that mixes in titles for movies, Beth! (Oh, the comment about hardcore seniors in the mall had me cracking up, I know exactly the ones who circle around two of the malls I go to!)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • you never know what will happen and who will become your lifelong friends. i’ve stayed close friends with the people i trained with, after so many hours on the road, and the big 3 days, it would be hard not to become close. we all finished our 3 day event, raised money, felt good and my feet got back to normal after about 6 months. )

      Like

      Reply ↓

  22. Wait a minute…..did someone “congragulate you” for passing an elderly man with a LIMP, no less?! Seriously? Did I misread something here? 🙂 Congratulations, Sweet Pea! (For “winning by accident!!”) 🙂 As usual, I love your pictures and writing. (I need to get some pictures!!!!! You’d think as a former teacher that I’d know people repond to VISUALS! Duh!!!) 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  30. Pingback: Eliminating Negative Management Time | Strengths Based Coaching by 34 Strong

Leave a comment