We are the champions

It’s a happy day at my house when I get the mail and my Runner’s World magazine is there. This month there is an article on an ultra marathon runner. (Ultra marathon simply means any race longer than a 26.2 marathon. There is a magazine called Ultra Runner and it also gets delivered to my house, but not for yours truly.) This ultra runner runs 100 mile and 135 mile races. Runs them well. Wins them. I point this out because this magazine is full of information for the everyday average runner like me. It is for people who run all distances, 1 mile to 100 miles. Anyway, what stuck out to me was at the very end of the article where it talked about this man being a true champion. And like a true champion, he is kind and generous and helps everyone along the way, but pushes himself in ways that most people can’t even understand. Perseveres through pain, endures hardship, and while on this path of pain and hardship, helps others as he passes them. I thought this is a great metaphor for life. The true champions in this life are the ones that are enduring pain and hardship and yet along the way they are lifting others up, pulling them along, encouraging them, and helping them get to the finish line as well.

Also in this article I learned a new running term, when a guy gets “chicked” it means he gets passed by a girl. I thought this was really funny. I get “chicked” all the time, but I don’t care.