An Old Lesson Revisited

I want to write about an epiphany I had two weeks ago. It was a lesson I had learned before, but I guess ignored. Let me tell you a story about my initial lesson  and it goes like this:

I joined a running club with YMCA in 2002 roughly.  I had a coach and a group to run with. Everyone was running at different paces and different levels. I was one of the slowest runners. I think simply because I believed I couldn't do it. My coach gave me a training schedule and I guess I was frusturated at times on my runs. I had a running partner  who was slightly faster than I, but I think held herself back because of me. So although I enjoyed being with the group and having a training schedule, I was jealous of the faster runners. I also did not think that my coach was there for me.

 I trained for my first marathon and I wanted to go big. So I signed up for the New York marathon. Got in on the first try. The New York Marathon is a lottery system where you register, but not guaranteed a spot. My coach and another member also signed up for the marathon and got in. However, I was resolved to do it on my own. I didn't want to run with them because I knew I was slower and I was just fed up running with the group. I bought a plane ticket. Flew on my own, and had a hotel room at the Sheraton in Manhattan.

On race day, we all ran like champions from the start line. The streets were lined with crowds of people cheering for us. New York is great about that. The streets are always full of people from the Start and all way to the Finish line. That is one of the reasons why I love the city. I felt like a superstar. So I made the number one mistake and ran at full tilt for the first 10km. Then I ran out of gas. It was a hot day on November 2, 2003. The temperature was about 30 degrees Celsius and in the 90s Fahrenheit.  So I made a number two mistake. I drank too much gatorade. You are suppose to pace yourself with your drinking (drink little sips) and gel yourself up every hour which I didn't do. I felt sick. I started to zigzag as I ran. A  man stopped me and told me that it wasn't worth it. I responded deliriously, "I want my medal !"  Then he got a cop to escort me off the course and to the First Aid station.

 I sat on a bed and threw up my gatorade on the pavement. They were starting to load people up from the First Aid station on the bus to the Finish Line. I was determined to finish and not go home empty handed. Then I looked out to the runners. All of a sudden, I see my coach, my other running member and couple of other runners running slowly.  I escaped from the First Aid Station to join them. They were glad to see me and were suffering as well from the heat. So they dragged me to the finish line which we completed in about 6 hours.

Just a funny note to add, when we reached the finish line, one of our group members proposed to his girlfriend as I had to vomit in the corner. I was also unable to eat the usual victory dinner of "going all out".  But I was in good company.

My coach and I after our victory dinner with our medals

November 2003

My lesson is that I can't do it on my own. I am self sufficient enough and independent enough, but I still need people in my life for support all the way. In turn, I need to be there for other people as well. Because it really isn't about you. It struck me that all these years I have been taking courses, reading books, and taking trips to better myself. But how can I be better all by myself? Where is self expression if it isn't expressed through others?  I thought I would share this with you because I think it is important to note this.

We as human beings did not make it as individuals. We survived through our communities. Every successful person can speak of other people that have helped them make their dreams realized.


So today, do at least one thing to help us as the human family  move a bit forward.


Helga