Running Happy
A week ago Saturday at this time I was celebrating with my best friend from college on Beale St. in Memphis, TN, the accomplishment of completing a half marathon that morning. More importantly, I was celebrating the fundraising and awareness raising we were doing for St. Jude. Most importantly, I was celebrating that I could run for those kids at St. Jude who aren't healthy enough to do so themselves as they are fighting for their lives. The kids who in their bald, chemo glory came out to cheer us on to keep running, thanking us for our support. The families who came out, their children too sick to leave the hospital, to thank us and cheer us on, FOR RUNNING.
So, you're darn right we were running happy.
I recently met two team members of Brooks Running, brilliant women, and through them I learned the motto of Brooks which is "Run Happy." I LOVED the motto, especially since I always run in Brooks shoes and a Brooks visor so from top to bottom am a "Run Happy" kinda girl!
I ran happy all through the 13.1 miles of the half marathon that charged down Beale St., weaved along the Mississippi River, through the hospital campus of St. Jude and the lovely neighborhoods of Memphis, ending at the baseball stadium downtown. I've never run a race with so many supporters wanting to high five you as you ran by. So, there was a lot of zig zagging happy running! Until I saw these two little girls holding up giant pictures of two cat heads on sticks, bobbing them back and forth. The sight was too good to pass up so I zigged and zagged over to get a shot. You guessed it, I cut someone off in the process. Now, there had been an overwhelming amount of cutting off in this race as everyone was juking to see the great signs and pictures along the way. Apparently, my zag put the woman I cut off past the edge of run happy as she was mightily grouchy. I apologized, about 3 times, and then took my photos of the awesome kids and went along my way. Being thankful that no matter what happened to me that day, I was running happy. No amount of anything could have knocked me off the memory of high fiving a little girl of about 3, who was bald from chemo, yet out on the course cheering me on, calling me a hero because I fund raised for her.
My point...even if you're going to frustrate others, you better darn well zag to take a photo of kids holding up giant cat heads. And, then, no matter what, you keep running happy!
Have a great week.
M