Crazy peeps! I recently had the pleasure of being a spectator and cheer-master-extraordinaire for some friends running in a half marathon. Signs required, of course!
Not my thing, but I'll support you if it's yours. You see I'm usually a participant in any athletic events I'm attending with friends. I love a challenge and the motivation of registering for an event to give myself a swift kick-in-the-ass to get going training. This event is different. Although I enjoy running, I need more variety. I've never had the burning desire, passion, or thrill seek to be a marathoner. Even if my jacked joints would allow it, it just seems so long and monotonous. {Can't we just do sprints??} I would NEED tunes to just keep one foot in front of the other for mile after mile. And 26.2 or ultra jokers? That's just extreme crazy talk!
Inspired. Even though it is not my thing, as a person passionate about health and fitness, I am inspired by the training, dedication, and mental preparation it takes to accomplish these feats. Amazing! It is truly mind, body, and spirit.
Empowered and encouraged as we cheered on runners. We made stops at mile 3, 9, and brought the runners home at the finish line. At mile 3, runners had smiles on their faces, enjoyed our signs, loved when we shouted their names, and were generally upbeat progressing along. It was still early-- you could tell :). Just to see faces light up and smile as we said their names was victory {many thought they knew us, even if we were just reading their names from the bibs, ha!}. It was a game and we were keeping count on how many smiles we got! By mile 9 you were starting to see the pain faces... you know what I'm talking about. Ugly. They needed the encouragement. A little boost to put an extra kick in their step, a little more energy to press on. Then it was finish time. A mixture of pain faces and smiles. It's over! Accomplishment completed.
Although being a cheer master {pom pom free!} is out of my element some, I loved being on the other side, bib free. Such a gratifying, fulfilling experience to be there for my running peeps. You are all amazing!
Do you need to be the participant? Maybe you need to be the one cheering? Give it a shot. Cheer on!
