Sunday, January 25, 2009

It's not about me....



I believe that angels are all around us….guiding us in situations. We merely have to ask the angels to be with us.
When I run long distances I carry this angel coin in my pocket. My work colleague Ann gave it to me before my first marathon. It comforts me.

Last weekend I was in Phoenix to run the Rock and Roll ½ Marathon. I took the medal with me and placed it in my pocket as I got dressed the morning of the race. I actually forgot it was in there until about mile 10. Perhaps I was done with the running, tired and a little worn out. Regardless, I remembered that it was there.
I touched the medal and said….”be with me Gabby”…Gabby is one angel I know by name because I knew her when she was here on earth. It made me feel a little better and I then remembered asking her to run with me my last 3 miles of the marathon last year. Might I add, those final 3 miles were quick ones in my book! Angel Gabby or adrenaline….you choose….
So about mile 10 this past weekend I touch the medal…and smiled…and then you know what happened? A man started to swerve in front of me. He seemed a little dazed and confused, perhaps dehydrated. He started to go down, and I helped to stop him. He seemed to bounce back with relative ease and we both continued with the race.
Another mile and a half down the course there was a man heading towards the sidelines with his head down. There was another runner behind him ushering him off the course. I stopped and asked if he was ok….well duh, he was not! I got his number and ran up to the next aid area telling the volunteers to send help to him. Not feeling super confident that he would get the help he needed, I stopped to tell a police officer who was minding the intersection to send someone to assist.
I continued on, enjoying the sun, the run and the thickening crowds as we neared the finish line. I started sprinting when I saw and heard the end. I raised my hands in victory and in hopes that the race photographers would snap a decent shot. I looked down to stop my watch just in time to see another man going down. This one ended up on his back. I proceeded to help him as a medic came and took over….

I think to myself…Are you kidding me….did this really happen? Three people stumbled or fell in front of me the last 3 miles of this race!
Did these runners need me? Maybe.
Was Gabby there with me? Absolutley.
And then I realize, this race was not about me, it never was.

No comments: