I have a couple weird hobbies, things that other people probably wouldn't count as hobbies, but I do. At the top of the list is going out to dinner. Second is people-watching. And, as of today, I'm adding "cheering for people at marathons" to the list. I guess that it could just be "cheering" or "encouraging" or "affirming" in general, but there is something that I love particularly about marathons.
One thing is that, for the most part, the people that run in marathons are not professional athletes. It does take a lot of training and dedication, but I think that most people who run marathons are just normal people who have worked really hard. They have jobs and families and many competing priorities, but they also take their running seriously. I don't think I would ever choose to put in the work it takes to run 26 miles at one time, but I respect the people that do.
And there are about 10,000 people in Florence today that did just that. I volunteered at the marathon for a few hours today and then stayed to watch the first finishers (which, incidentally, was way cool. Florence even had a race for differently-abled people who used hand-bikes! Awesome!) but as I was walking home, I stopped to cheer on some of the runners....and ended up standing there for about an hour, cheering non-stop until I was starting to lose my voice! And it was the best!
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| The podium for athletes who participated on hand-bikes! Too cool! |
Some people might say that the reason I got so much enjoyment out of this is because I'm weird and while there is some truth there, I have to wonder if there is some greater force at work. When I'm watching people run a marathon, I can't help but think that, in some ways, we're all running this race, all the time. Sometimes there is triumph, sometimes there is pain, but at the end of the day, you have to just push through everything and get to the next day, regardless of how much it hurts or how tired you are. Our lives are kind of like a marathon. But we don't wear numbers or get fun sweatshirts or have people standing at the sidelines cheering us on and handing us water.
But maybe we all have a time when we need someone, even a stranger, to tell us bravo!, forza!, dai! Sometimes we just need someone to say I see you, I acknowledge your struggle, but it's okay, you're going to make it.
Looking back, I recognize that I would be lost, save for my own cheering section, helping me through every step and mis-step. And I hope that at least some of you remember hearing my voice during your own races.
Friends, I hope that whatever this week may bring you, you realize that you have at least one fan cheering you on. And I hope you'll make some time and effort to acknowledge someone else's struggle and accomplishments.
Braviiiii! Braaaviiiii!!! Bravissimiiiiiiiii!!!
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| As far as cheering sections go, I'm obsessed with Florence's sbandieratori, the Renaissance flag guys.... |
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| The winner of the day: Stikovsky Oleksandr (he's Ukrainian!) And notice the flags in action! |
