Race & Journey-to-Date Reflections

I met two very special people on the run (not to mention the many other nice folks I met). A police officer who carried a flag up the mountain, it was a black flag with a blue stripe through it, for an organization called the “Thin Blue Line.” He was honoring his fallen comrades in the US the police forces. In the flag, the blue line represents each officer who daily protects our nation. The black background was designed as a constant reminder of their fallen brother and sister officers. There was also a retired US Marine who carried a 3’ x 5’ American flag on a pole the whole way from the bottom to top and he has done this I think 12 times already! Wow, what a patriot and what a heroic man to honor the Corp and his country that way! It was hard to run up the mountain period, it must have been brutal to run up carrying those flags, especially in the wind above the treeline. They had to have some powerful motivation to make it to the top and I salute them both for succeeding!

Yesterday I carried the names and spirits of 23 special people to the summit of Mt Washington on my shoulders. I couldn’t help but reflect on that as I stood on top of the little brass USGS marker for the official summit. Minutes after I finished and before I started looking for my ride in earnest, I walked alone to that point to be able to say I brought your loved ones to the very top, not just the finish line. Later I took a photograph there but the first time I just went up alone to reflect on where I am in this journey of mine. This journey has become so much more than just 3 races for me, I feel a huge responsibility to get to the top each time because of what my shirt stands for now. I feel a tremendous drive to get to the finish line and my life and my perspective on it will not be the same after I have completed the journey.

I won’t break records for fundraising and I won’t break race records, but I’ve met some special people whom I would have never known and I learned much more about my friends and their family and friends so far. I have learned more about the struggles people have gone through or are going through due to cancer. I have spoken more in depth with others who feel equally strongly about what a wonderful program Habitat for Humanity is and how we need to help others less fortunate than ourselves. We cannot push through life amassing personal possessions and not stopping to enjoy our amazing world and the fantastic people around us for there is no guarantee of what tomorrow will bring. We cannot blindly pass by others who need an extra boost to make a decent life for their family too. Every one of us must, as they say, “get out of the stands and onto the court,” because if you are not doing something to make a difference, you are merely a spectator with no impact in this world.

To my Scouts in Troop 63, I encourage you to take the Scout Slogan seriously every day and do something to help other people. What's most important in life is not having the newest iPhone v2 or a PS3 or XBox, it's not buying a new car either, what's most important is knowing that you are leaving a wake of kindness in your path and its ripples will cause others to remember and imitate your actions too.

I am… Running for Other People’s Lives!