Saturday was the JDRF 5K that I’ve been Couch-to-5King for the
past seven weeks. I was pleased to see
that out of the 100ish runners (versus the 11,000 walkers), there were more Ginger
Avenger shirts than for any other team!
By my count, we had 10 Ginger Avengers running, and another 17
walking. I am thankful for everyone that
wore the name “Ginger Avenger.”
In preparation for this run, I had loaded a book I’d been
looking forward to into my Audible app on my phone. When they said, “Go!,” I pushed play
and started running. I was feeling proud of myself, ready for anything. And
then I realized that I had neglected to start my running app that would track
my distance and my time. Without an official timer on the course, I would have
no idea how I had done. I needed that app working, so I started flipping through my phone to get it going. While trying to start
that app, my book-out-loud stopped. Then random music started. Then I hit the
wrong thing and ended up somewhere else on my phone entirely, still trying to
get my race-timer app going.
All while I was running.
Have I ever mentioned that I get nauseated really easily?
By the time I finally had the right applications open and the
wrong stuff closed, I was well into the race. I looked up for the first time
and came to rapid realization. I felt awful.
My stomach was unhappy, and I had been paying no attention to my stride
or my breathing. I was pooped, sick, and only ½ mile into the race. There was no way I could make it. I was ready
to quit.
At the moment when I was about to give up, I noticed
movement to my right. Although most of the runners had run ahead while I was
fumbling with my phone, there was someone beside me. It was one of the Ginger
Avengers. He stayed right at my elbow for
awhile, almost as if he was pushing me forward with his very presence. He never
said anything to me, but his presence helped me settle into my running rhythm.
Before long, I knew I could do it. It was right about that time that he moved
ahead of me to run his own race at his own pace, with neither of us having said
a word. What a wonderful gift! Thanks,
Murray!
I can look at so many moments in my life when the same thing
has happened. Just the right person has come alongside of me at just the right
time. Sometimes they are aware of it,
many times they are not. It just seems to be one of the ways God works.
No matter what, none of us is ever really alone, whether we
are sweating through a race or simply trying to get through the day. Just look to your side, you’ll never know who
you’ll find there.
