Life is a journey that is filled with obstacles. Why are some people more able to jump over the hurdles that are encountered in their path, while others are paralyzed by their hurdles? Why are some people’s hurdles higher than others?
I was emailing back and forth with another Mom from my son’s baseball team. We knew that we had met before, but we were not sure which face went to the name. In trying to figure out which Mom I was, the fact that I was a runner came out. She remembered me as the Mom who had gone running in the hour warm up before the All Star games this past summer. Running was my identifying factor. That wasn’t all that surprising. I’m not the kind of girl that takes a shopping spree at Nordstrom. I’m more the type that would head to a running store if given a few extra dollars. I ooze running. The thing that surprised me most was that she said that she was “jealous” that I was a runner, stating that she would run in her “next life.” Of course she was kidding, but it made me wonder why some people have hurdles to jump while others don’t. Did she have a bad knee? What was the reason? I felt compelled to ask her, but that would be too pushy.
While contemplating this, the inspiring race report of “Mo” was forwarded to me via email. Mo ran the Napa Valley Marathon this past rainy Sunday. She qualified for Boston. In her story Mo describes the people along the course and how they encouraged her along the course. It was her struggle, but so many played a key role in her success. She describes the cancer survivor, out running the marathon after his battle with CLL, and the people she knew from her running and triathlon communities. With a few encouraging thoughts, and a lot of inner strength, Mo was encouraged to fight the weather, the clock, and her pain in her body. I had tears of encouragement flowing down my cheeks by the time I finished reading her story.
I’ve hit a lot of my own hurdles along my journey towards my own Boston Qualification. Some of my hurdles were knocked down as I tried to clear them, and others I just went around. I have had disappointment but, so far, I haven’t let the hurdles on my path stop me from trying to reach my destination. I keep trying. Eventually, I will make it over all of the hurdles and finish the race triumphantly.