Running Lessons: Two Are Better Than One

I ran the Baltimore Half Marathon a few weeks ago. This was actually my 3rd time running this race. The previous two times were in 2015 and 2016. I decided to run it again because this time I would be running with my Back on My Feet (BoMF) Family, and I knew it would be special. Also, I ran as part of the BoMF team, so I was able to fundraise for BoMF, which I was super excited about- THANK YOU TO ALL WHO GAVE!!! 

It has been 1 year since I joined BoMF. In fact, this morning was the halloween run, where we dress up and there are a few fun stops along the route to get candy and say hi to the other crazy people who are up that early. This was the first run I went on with BoMF last year. 

Side note: we accidentally knocked on the wrong door this morning at one of the stops and that person was SO NOT a happy camper to be woken up at 5:30am by a bunch of adults dressed in costumes the day BEFORE halloween asking for candy…SO sorry random person. BUT it is just a little bit funny...now...maybe not so much when it happened. 

OOPS.

I wanted to write something because this morning all of the teams came together for this particular run, and one of the BoMF members* approached me after the run and thanked me. And I want to tell you why. Not just because it made me feel super special, but because I had the chance to thank him. I made an impact on his life on the day of the Baltimore Running Festival, but he significantly impacted mine. God used that race and my BoMF teammates and this particular person to teach me a very important lesson. 

On Saturday morning October 19th, I met up with my BoMF team at Helping Up Mission to walk to the Inner Harbor where the BoMF tent was set up. It was super dark; the sun wasn’t up yet, but as usual, we were! Those running the half marathon had about 3.5 hours until that particular race would begin, so we got to send off the 5k (3.1 mile) and full marathon (26.2 miles) runners, who started much earlier. 

It was a beautiful day- perfect weather for a long run! Not too hot and not too cold. Finally, it was time for us to join the other 6 thousand something people at the start line for the half marathon. SO MANY PEOPLE. But this time I didn’t feel alone, I was with my team. I started out with 2 people who I have run Saturday long runs with before because we’re about the same pace. I think they are on the Penn North team. We stuck together, weaving around and through people, but about 2 miles in, my running buddies were going a little too fast for me, so I sort of hid in the crowd so they could take off. I knew they would slow down for me and I didn’t want them to have to.

By mile 7, I was struggling AND I also had to pee since mile 2, so when I came to Lake Montebello I was very tempted to stop at the bathroom, but I knew I couldn’t stop. Starting is hard once you stop...especially when you know you have 6 miles still to go. Around the Lake Montebello loop I caught up to one of my running buddies, Taylor. I was super excited because I didn’t think I would see either of them again until after the race. There were quite a few times after catching up to Taylor that I wanted to stop. I kept telling her to go on, because I knew she was slowing down a little for me and I knew she could have been going faster. She wouldn’t leave me. In fact, a few times when she realized she was a little ahead, she ran in place till I caught up. She wouldn’t let me stop. And on mile 8, running uphill, I was angry for a second that I had caught up.

Around mile 10, there was a group of people all dressed up and dancing to Jamaican music and this gave us energy- it was so colorful and fun! Then I realized, HEY! We only have a 5k left to run! WE GOT THIS! I had found my second wind. 

We came across another BoMF member around mile 10, who was running his first marathon. So he was at mile 23 when we were at mile 10. Ozzy is a PHENOMENAL runner. He is FAST and he can run FAST for a LONG time! However, you could tell he was struggling. When we found him, he had stepped off the road, out of the way of other runners and he was slumped over holding onto his leg, which was cramping up. It looked like he was trying to hold back tears, tears of frustration. He was so close!

We stopped to check on him and then waited until he was able to run again and for the next 3 miles we stayed with Ozzy. He had to stop a few more times, because his leg kept cramping up and when it would cramp he couldn’t bend his leg and would have to stop and stretch and massage the muscle until it would cooperate again. He kept begging us to go ahead, to finish the race, to leave him behind. 

But we refused. Taylor didn’t leave me. And we weren’t leaving him. 

I must admit there was a split second that I thought to myself, especially after catching that second wind, “we could be going so fast right now! We could get such a good time!” But then when I looked at Ozzy, our friend who was in recovery, our friend who was running his first marathon, and the fact that Taylor could have left me multiple times, but didn’t, I was overcome with such love for them. I actually started getting emotional, but I knew if I started crying, I’d probably hyperventilate and die (maybe slightly dramatic, but my lungs were just a little tired at this point) so I held it together.

We finished the race, the three of us, together, and when we crossed the finish line Ozzy told us that it was his birthday that day! I felt so honored to cross with them, to be able to celebrate this victory in his life, on this special day. AND you know what was really cool?! I hadn’t been paying attention to time, but later when I checked, I realized that even with the slowing down and stopping for our friend, my time was still better than the last time I ran the half marathon alone. 

So when Ozzy stopped me today to thank me and to let me know how much it meant to him that we finished the race with him, I was reminded of the importance of teamwork, of family, of doing life with others…

Yes, we can try to walk alone and we may get pretty far and we may get there faster. But we’d miss so much along the way. So many lessons. So many relationships. 

When I gave my life to Christ 5 years ago, God surrounded me (and surrounds me still) with people who did not run away when I fell, when I hit a roadblock and wanted to give up. They stopped. And they waited for me. They encouraged me to keep going and they celebrated every victory with me as if it was their own. 

Sometimes I get frustrated with people. And then I remember how many times I fell. How often I fall. And how much grace I have been shown. By my friends and family, and by Jesus, Who is not scared or annoyed with me when it takes a little longer to catch on, to get to where He is trying to lead me. He is so patient with me. He is such a loving Father and Friend. 

Lord help me to love like You, to lay down my desires, ambitions, dreams, success...if it means I get to stand by someone to encourage them in this race, even when it slows me down or when I feel I have to stop completely. Lord, they are worth it. Their success and eternity is worth it. I was worth it to You, You saved me! And I was worth it to those you have placed in my life who encourage me daily! So Lord, help me to be faithful to intercede for and to stand by those you place in my life along this journey...we are all in a race and the finish line is crossing into eternity with You. We look forward to this day Lord, but while we are here, while we are running, teach us to hold each other up, show us what it looks like to lay down our lives for our friends.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:12-13

Pre-race hugs: my friend Carly found me at the Start line!

*a member is someone who is in the program, someone who stays at either Helping Up Mission, Christopher’s Place, McVets, South Baltimore Station, Penn North Recovery and a volunteer is someone like me who goes through orientation and shows up for the Monday, Wednesday, (sometimes Thursday), Friday and Saturday AM runs) as a teammate and friend.