OK – I had to share this top 5 after jotting down that prior entry…..
So without further adieu, here are my top 5 moments from this year’s Chicago Marathon:
5. Running alongside a father and daughter from Italy. It was a first marathon for the both of them, and they plodded along together – mile after mile – with smiles on their faces the whole way. The father would tell the fans lined along the streets “that’s my daughter! Look at how strong she is!!!”. Nothing like seeing fatherly pride.
4. Meeting a man that lost 140 pounds and was in the process of completing his first marathon.
3. Watching a man fall to a knee with 800 meters to go. It was clear that he had nothing left. I watched as he fell…and then slowly rose up. He stood motionless for a moment – and then began to move forward. He refused to quit. It was an amazing moment. To see him will himself forward toward the finish armed with nothing more than his courage was incredible.
2. Seeing a dad greeted by his five young children shortly after finishing. It was amazing to see the look on their collective faces when he showed them his medal. All five youngsters looked at him in awe. It’s wonderful when a child sees his/her father as a hero.
1. Throughout the day, I watched and listened as complete strangers ran together, motivating each other to keep moving forward. As one runner saw another begin to slow down or struggle, other runners would share simple words of encouragement. This happened all day long. And that’s what the marathon is all about. It’s more than just a race for individual accomplishment. The marathon brings out the best qualities in the runners, the spectators and the volunteers.
One month to the ING New York City Marathon. One month until the single greatest day of the year in the city. I cannot wait.
Remember – you don’t get today back…so wait it count.
