It's a Marathon. Not a Sprint.

"On your marrrrrk.  Get setttttttttt.  GO!"  Dang!  I would get super psyched as a little brown ashy kneed girl when it was time to "race" friends in elementary school!  We would make sure our sneaker laces were double tied and hecka tight, then we would tie our sweaters around or waists and race.  Top speed!  Racing down to the kid 50 yards or so away that was waiting to declare the winner by quickly dropping their arms to their waist when we crossed that imaginary finish line.  I would like to think my friends were eating my dust most of the times because in my mind I had doing what hood babies call, "booking!"  Look it up.

Things seemed so urgent when we were younger and everything needed to happen so fast, you know? We ran from one thing to the next.  Even skipped at times.  Never walked slowly or leisurely.  Racing here.  Racing there.  When I think about it now it makes me tired!  Don't believe me?  Just watch any random little kid that is otherwise healthy and watch them skip, run, jog, hop, trot from there to there.  I move much s l o w e r now.  Ain't no more running or skipping here and there.  Ain't nobody got time for that!  It's more like a graceful stride from one thing to the next when you are in your 40's, especially if you are trying to preserve your grown woman sexy.  I digress.  So, imagine my utter disbelief and utter confusion when a few girlfriends told me they were indeed going to run in the Oakland Marathon this past weekend!  Like…WHY???  *arms flailing in the air*  But a good friend would do the right thing and root them on from the sidelines and that's just what I did.        

The journey of a 1,000 miles begins with a single step...

Now, I had never seen a marathon up close and in person (score again for answering the question in 2014, "When is the last time you did something for the first time?") so I had no idea what to expect.  All I knew was I was waking up too damn early on a Sunday morning just to stand on the sidelines alongside other people just-a clapping and screaming for some friends running by me in a marathon.  But guess what?  It was incredibly inspiring and amazing and eye opening and fun!  The positive energy out on those Oakland streets was contagious and it was all because of the runners.  There were tall folks, short folks, slim folks, chunky folks, folks that had clearly prepared, folks that seemed woefully underprepared but they all had one thing in common; they were committed.  Plain and simple.      

At different times during the marathon, I was "this" close to tears with the totality of the experience of watching people push themselves to the limit.  And in between making my way from one part of the marathon route to the next part of the marathon route there was plenty of time to reflect on just what was happening.  Life lessons were playing out live and in color right before my tired and red eyes from getting up so damn early on a Sunday morning!  I came home and scribbled a few things down and here is what I came up with, in no particular order:

1.  Enjoy The Journey & The View:  The race wound through parts of Oakland that many have not seen, which offers a more favorable view than what the nightly news offers viewers.  There is goodness right here in our backyards, if we just open our eyes and see it.  Just like in life, even while making our way to our destination we can still take the time to absorb the good that's happening around us even amidst the drama.  Relish in it.  Smile at it.  Beautiful is beautiful no matter where you happen to be in life.

2.  Take Help From Others When It's Offered:  Along the race route there were volunteers offering water and snacks to the runners without the runners having to ask.  And they cleaned up the mess that was left behind when runners grabbed the offerings as they kept running!  It's perfectly fine to let others help us along our journey because everyone needs help. Sometime.  And because there are people that want to and need to help us, we should take the help.  No questions asked.

3.  Keep Going Even When You Have Fallen Far Behind The Pack:  There were runners in the marathon that were clearly breezing through the hills and flatlands of Oakland on their way to the finish line.  Waving and smiling as they breezed past the cheering sections.  *Show Offs*  And then there were others that were putting forth the maximum effort to just put one foot in front of the other without throwing in the stinky, musty, dirty towel. But those folks kept right on going.  Never quitting and if they stopped it was just to catch their breath, readjust their Beats By Dre, take a sip or two or three of water and they would get right back at it.  Isn't that what we are challenged to do every day?  It matters none that we are not ahead of the pack because we have to pause to get ourselves together here and there. It matters only that we are in the race.  

4.  Everyone Needs Somebody To Cheer Them On:  Strangers cheering on strangers along the race route was the order of the day.  "You got this!"  "You're almost there!"  "Keep going!"  And the look of appreciation…mixed with a little exasperation…on the faces of the runners was priceless.  We can do that for one another day to day.  Offering a kind word to someone is an easy thing to do that can make a huge difference in someone's day.  I dare you…triple dog dare you to try it.

5.  The Best Gift We Can Give Others Is Our Time:  Yeah, I woke at the "butt-crack" of dawn to cheer my friends on during the marathon.  But so did countless other people.  And I can't tell you how many times my friends thanked me for just showing up.  They knew good and damn well I could have chosen to stay snuggled in my bed next to the best boyfriend I have ever had in my whole life, or spent the day at some mall shopping for an outfit, or sitting on my balcony sunning in 70 degree perfect weather in March…you get the point.  But I chose to spend my time sharing that experience with them.  And that was just…cool.  Who in your life would appreciate just a little bit of your time?  

What's the point if you aren't having a good time?

6.  It Does Not Matter How Fast You Run, It Matters That You Finish: Every single person that crossed that finish line was SO happy!   Baby, they threw their arms in the air, some let out a "Wooooo Hoooo!" and others were congratulated by supporters giving them pats on the back and warm embraces.  All because the runners finished.  Not all at top speed, either.  They simply...finished.  Many of the runners did not compare their time to anyone else's time, either since their satisfaction came from setting a goal and reaching it.  What's that old saying, "Comparison is the thief of joy"?  Yep…that!    

The old adage, "It's a marathon, not a sprint." has never rang more true for me than this past weekend.  While I do not think I will ever train for a marathon, run said marathon and bask in "Medal Mondays", I am absolutely psyched to have shared that experience with a few of my girlfriends!  It was my great pleasure to be a part of an instant community of well wishers of all ethnicities, beliefs, ages, backgrounds, shapes and sizes that created a LOUD chorus of encouragers.  When I think about it, this past Saturday was my best opportunity in a good long while of being kind to absolute strangers and expecting nothing in return.  And!  I left feeling more inspired than I have in some time ready to face another day in this marathon we know as life.  Pacing myself.  Enjoying the view.  Pushing forward even when I fall behind.  Taking help from others.  Offering my time along the way.  And finishing strong.  Thank you for the lesson Cindy, Natina and Tamesa & job well done on your first relay marathon!  #blackgirlsrunliterallyandfiguratively