Eyes Wide Open

by Elexis Penner

 

Last Sunday was the annual running of the Manitoba Marathon, and I participated in the half marathon event along with about 4,000 other people. I employed my fail-safe strategy of ‘I’ll get there when I get there…’ and I achieved my usual goal of ‘To Finish,’ thus receiving my Finisher’s Medal.

 

This was the first long distance event I’ve ever participated in where I did not use music or ear buds. Ever since I’ve managed an affinity for my own thoughts and being alone with them (and vice versa), I don’t feel the need to constantly fill mental downtime with the nearest distraction I can get my hands on.

 

But… Considering that I had a couple of hours to do this thing, I still needed some kind of mental game plan to keep my mind from repeating a mantra of ‘I think something just popped in my knee’, cursing the day I signed up for this, and scorning my decision to have a Big Mac as my pre-race meal…

 

So I decided I would look for God on the course. I asked Him to show himself, and I decided to watch out for Him. And He showed up in all kinds of places.

 

He showed up in the drum group that is always planted in the first mile. And in the trio of ladies at mile 5 who were playing a drum, some kind of shaker and a kazoo. And I wondered if the kazoo was deliberate, or more of a, “What should I play – oh, look – a kazoo…” And also in the group of older folks that included an organ and an accordion. These people drag their instruments out to the street and play enthusiastically for the sole purpose of giving someone a lift. I think God was there because anyone who is willing to lug a 20 pound accordion did not do it for their own sake.

 

He showed up in the lady on the sidewalk wearing a T-shirt that said “YOUR PACE”. And I remembered not to compare myself to everyone around me. My pace is my pace and it’s good.

 

He showed up in this lady whose jersey said, “6 Marathons in my 60th year”, and in this man who looked at least 70 and whose jersey said ‘Marathon Maniacs.’ They had at least 20 years on me and were doing 26 miles that day. I wondered what kept them going, and hoped I would have some of that in my future.

 

He showed up in the woman wearing a Boston Marathon Finisher’s T-shirt. She was standing so tall and so strong and as I passed by her she looked me in the eye and nodded as if to say, “You’ve got this.” And this was not even all that helpful because I could barely keep it together thinking about that day, two years ago, and all the lives that were affected.

 

He showed up in the bagpipe band, because you know.. bagpipes.

 

He showed up in the man in the last mile who was standing on the side of the street with a mega-phone, and I don’t know what his occupation was, but he spoke with the authority of someone who believes in you more than you believe in yourself, “You have 12 miles in your back pocket!! Glory is right around the corner!!” Glory.

 

I was in mile 12 when the winner of the full marathon passed me. A man from Kenya, he flew by with his motorcade of police cycle and vehicular and bicycle escort, and he looked as though he could have run another 26.2 miles.

 

There were so many people who had encouraging messages on the backs of their shirts. You can’t see what you’ve written on the back of your shirt – only the people behind you can read it. It is an entirely selfless act. An act that is for the sole purpose of encouraging someone else.

 

Just like the thousands of people who showed up just to encourage. A woman who stood on the boulevard hoola hooping for an hour. HOOLA HOOPING. For an hour.

 

The people who lugged speakers out to the end of their driveway and blasted ‘Thunderstruck’, which by the way, totally boosts your pace for at least 3 minutes.

 

The people who made signs, “Worst parade EVER!!!!” “Run like zombies are chasing you!!!” “Go Random Stranger!!!” The thousands of spectators who came out for the sole purpose of encouraging complete strangers to give a little more than they think they have.

 

And here’s what I’m pretty sure happens. Wherever we find humans, we find God. And I know that if I would keep myself in a mindset of looking for God every day, I would find Him every day. In friends. In family. In strangers.

 

And if I want to be God to someone else, it wouldn’t hurt to paint a ‘You’re awesome!!!’ message on my shirt and keep on keeping on.