Marathon and "How did you feel?"

Since 1994, every first Sunday of December at 5.30 am, I will put on my running shoes and seek to run 42.195 km. This year is no different. Last Sunday, there were 8,722 of us running (and completed) the marathon. At the end of the race, I was dead tired, and my legs' joints and muscles were cramped up only to be recovered 3 days later. I sent some SMS to my friends to share my joy (of completion), and was intrigued by one response: "How did you feel?"

Different people have different motive in running a marathon. To me, it is my annual personal pilgrimage to re-build my confidence and courage to face life's challenges. It is my way of reminding myself the wisdom of "staying the course and complete the race".

Every marathon runners know that the competition is not really against each other, but with that little voice inside us that wants us to quit. Winning is triumphing over that little voice by choosing to complete the race despite the bodily and mental fatigue.

As I reflect over my life, I experienced more defeats than successes. By world's view, I am not particularly successful financially and in my career. This lack of success has at times spilled over to marital tensions which most men can identify with (but don't want to talk about). I confess in my earlier years, I felt defeated, and not accustomed to winning.

Yes, in a marathon race, there can only be one champion; but there can be many winners. Each marathon runner who completed the race is a winner in his/her own right. Each winner can stand tall. Just as in life, we might not be a champion in our endeavour, but in our small way, we can stay the course and complete the race, we too can be a winner. And we too can stand tall.

Back to the sms: "How did you feel?". Indeed, I felt tired. But above all, I felt a winner because I have stayed the course for 6 hours 11 minutes and completed the race. In a quiet way, I have triumphed over that little voice inside me that wanted me to quit at the 20 km & 30 km mark. For that, I have a smile on my face and in my heart.

Come join me at the starting line next year.