About 15min into the race, I was bewildered by the sound of applause coming from the front of the 21K running crowd. Then I realized why - the 42K pack-leaders were passing us by. It is truly inspiring watching them FLY by.
"You're running alone???" was the response I got when I told some cellgroup friends about today's race. One brother seemed unconvinced and had to ask me twice. Well, some people I would have been happy to see running aren't gonna show. But more significantly, I told them, "I'm running for myself what." Silence.
Probably takes 1 runner to know another. But feel alone I certainly did, seeing people run together in 2's or more. In the last few km, I struggled to maintain the pace while trying to catch up with others in front. Why am I doing this to myself, I thought. You're killing your knees. Give up, give up! But I simply blew my nose and flicked off that thought.
After cooling down, I came back to the finishing line to try to spot some champion runners. But instead of champion runners I saw ordinary folks ending their race with an obviously self-satisfied look of achievement while waving their arms triumphantly. Suddenly I realized why I'm doing this annual race - for Jesus, and for myself. I'm simply putting a talent to work.
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