'Tis the Season: Huntersville Half

Today I ran my last race of 2013. 

On this rainy, cold, gray morning, I met my friends down in Huntersville to run the Huntersville Half Marathon.  The start time was 8:00am, and while there was some rain prior to the race, there was no rain at the start of the race, which was nice.

The joy in this race for me (is there really joy when running 13.1 miles?  Yes!), initially, was that I would get a great workout, while running with great friends.  We had no pace or time goal - just to run together, chat, and finish.

However, while I had a great time with my friends - the true highlights of the race for me, came from the support of others. . .

I have a 5th grade student that I work with occasionally.  His mother is a runner, triathlete, ironwoman - and he's an athlete as well.  He lives along the course I would be running today, and I jokingly asked him to be out there cheering, since he wasn't planning on running.

At Mile 4, I was thrilled, I mean genuinely ecstatic to see him at the corner.  I got a great smile and wave from him.  As I ran on my way, I felt so motivated by his effort to come out and cheer, to see a familiar friendly face.  That was really a wonderful gift, and he probably isn't even aware of how much it means to me that he was out there in that awful weather, to cheer on the runners.

About halfway through the race, we ran past the street where one of my running friends lives.  Her family was coming out to see us, but our scheduling was a bit off, so we all waved to one another.  Still, that was a treat to see her kids and husband coming out to support our run.

Finally, at the very end of the race, as I was rounding the turn to the finish, I heard someone yell out my name - in the groove, and not wanting to stop and scan the crowd, I plowed ahead to the finish.  Afterwards, I realized that my friends family (from the halfway point) had come to the finish.
Not only were they cheering, the kids had made signs with our names on them (and beautiful artwork on the back too). 

I was not kidding when I told my friend that my name sign/artwork meant more to me than the medal from the race.

These acts of kindness, thoughtfulness - are a reminder to me of how much a positive act and/or comment can make a difference in someone elses life. 

One of the many things that often aggravates me during this season is the Case of the Gimmies that my children seem to come down with starting in November.  "I want this" and "I want that" comes out of their mouths way too often.  We try so very hard to help teach and guide them to think of others year round, but especially during holiday times.  I think, given their young age, we are making progress.

My youngest son's teacher shared a story with me this week.  The kids at school have been a bit more - loud and energetic, than usual.  We, teachers, are chalking it up to the approaching holiday break.  The teacher shared with me that my son's class had been particularly chatty and wiggly the previous day, and all day long she had corrected them.  At the end of the day, she shared that my young son came up to her, gave her one of his big hugs, and said, "Mrs. W, I wouldn't like coming to school, if you weren't here.  You're the best teacher."

She said it really caused her to pause, because the only things she had said to him that day were, "Sit down,"  "Stop talking", and "Do your work."  Mrs. W told me that his hug and positive comment made her feel so good, and helped her to remember that positive comments make someone want to do better - be better, than when one is negative.  She took that into the next day, and really tried to encourage the kids through being positive. 

As I wrap up this running, biking, duathlon, triathlon, bootcamp, and spinning year. . .and reflect on my practices, races, and rides - I try to remember that the not only do I need to be more positive with myself.  If you recall, I achieved my Sub 2 last month with positive thinking.

I need to be more positive with others. 

It is, after all, an easy gift to give.