Yesterday morning, I spent three hours watching the London marathon on TV. Sport is about the only thing I watch on TV so this was pure indulgence.
If things had panned out differently, I too would have been running yesterday. I wrote in January about how this was the year to run your own marathon in life, whatever that may be.
As usual though, there were some key lessons for me from not running this year.
So I now have to wait another year before I finally join the many thousands who have run the London marathon.
It is amazing how over 36,000 people show up in London on a spring morning, all for the purpose of running / walking/ crawling over 26 miles. Most are raising money for some charity – the London marathon yesterday must have been the biggest gathering ever of active fund raisers!
Incredibly, the winner in the men’s race had enough energy and stamina to sprint the last 200 yards and take the title from his closest rival.
For him, it truly was a “race”.
For everyone else, it was all about taking part, raising money for their chosen cause and perhaps even beating their previous best time.
To me, the marathon yesterday was a true accolade to the human spirit and a testimony to all that is good about us. Just shows what we are all capabale of when we put our mind to it.
Yesterday, we were all winners. Not just the runners, but us spectators who were there to support and encourage the runners – and also the armchair spectators like me.
Being a winner felt great:-)
As I get down to preparing for the London marathon in 2008, what will YOU take on over the coming months?
What will YOU do for yourself and for the world, so that everyone is a winner?
