The one thing that helped the time to pass by while I ran the marathon was to strike up conversations with strangers on the course.
” hi.. my name is nitin.. what’s yours? Is this your first time doing this race? Where are you from? ” a fist bump later we were chatting like old friends at a campfire in relaxed armchairs….
There were people from all over the country… Pennsylvania, NYC, Oklahoma, Texas, Connecticut and many others….
Here are some interesting ones..
Heather… a wheel chair bound athelete who was determined to never let her disability get the better of her.. she wheeled her self with her arms for the entire 26.2 miles and that’s not all.. she had done the half marathon challenge the day before too !! This was also not her first marathon… she had lost the use of her legs years ago… she showed much courage while going up hills….Â
( I was inspired by her fortitude to not complain for the entire race)
Chuck.. 66 y old runner who has completed 55 marathons and his goal was to do 1 in every State.. he had finished 47 so far and after the 50 he would then do one in every continentÂ
Jake who was running along side for 8 miles and was living in Boston for 10 years.. the crazy part was he graduated from the university next to my house and lived in my town for 20 years.. small world
I met so many first time marathoners who were trying to see what they could accomplish and some had only done a max of 15 miles for their maximum training run..this was an extra 11 miles more during the race !!
John… a nice fellow who had done this same race 6 x and each time got faster
Chuck who was a grandfather of 3 and had done numerous marathons.. he told me that he is keeping fit so he can run with his 4 year old granddaughter in 6 years for her first race. … a few weeks prior he had run another marathon with his grown up son…. he said that it was the best feeling to run a race with his own kid…..( I couldn’t agree more having done the same with my 11 year old)
Met Jake who was 70 years old and been doing marathons as that was the only thing his wife would let him do… he wantes to do triathelons but his wife of 51 years said that if he started on that path that she would part ways with him !!
Rene was doing her first marathon and was soon to leave the army and become a sports education coach… that was her dreamÂ
So many great conversations and stories while in motion… connecting at the most basic of human levels and emotions…Â
everyone has a story.. everyone has a purpose of why they were running that race.. that purpose drove them forward… it helped them find meaning as many struggled against nature’s swift winds and scornful temperature..Â
There is much Magic in the human spirit to overcome many odds and obstacles… it is seen in our first cry as we are born and doesn’t stop till we take our last breath..
We struggle being born… and till our end… we are more than the sum of our experiences for each experience transforms us.. shapes our path.. and with each choice bends us in new directions as we are forged into our highest potential each day..
” I get to do this”.. this amazing journey of life..
…………..
I love you
Ps monday was a great day of rest and active recovery walking.. enjoying the streets of Falmouth… exploring the beaches that I whizzed by running with deep reverence for the cold windy terrain… and ofcourse tempting the delicious cuisines of the local restaurants… now back to reality
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