I remember his hands, encased in sturdy gloves, never missing in the mesmerizing rhythm of churning wheel-pumping action as he whizzed by, never taking time to grab a drink as he went on his way.
These people humbled me as I stood beside the table and cheered until I thought my voice would desert me. I thought I had made a sacrifice by giving up a weekend day and getting up early to volunteer, but it was clear these were the people who had sacrificed. How long did they train each day? How many times did they go for a run when they really wanted to stay home and play with their kids? How did they manage to fit in training in busy lives filled with work, kids, and home responsibilities? I realized these were real heroes, even if they might not seem like it to some. These runners had a goal, knew what they had to do to achieve that goal, and did whatever it took to make it happen. I wondered if I'd ever been that determined about anything in my life. As much as I thought, I couldn't think of a thing that had motivated me quite that much, and that's when I realized just what the Top of Utah Marathon meant to me.
Sure, I did a "good deed" and volunteered to help with this event. (Something I'd urge everyone to do, by the way.) However, I realized I'd gained a lot more than just feeling smug because I'd gotten up early and done something "selfless." I realized that watching these motivated and determined people...
No, not to become a runner, I don't think that's my thing. But it motivated me to find something that I'm truly passionate about - something that would make me give up my personal time, my family, and my sometimes lazy ways to create passion and a feeling of fullness and goodness inside me.
What I saw on that early fall morning was people who were just like me - students, families, women, men, children, who wanted to stretch their boundaries and be something special for just one moment in time. I saw real people with real problems and real lives, who transcended all that for just a few hours and became heroes in their own right. That's what they were, you know, heroes, who made it all the way to the finish line, despite all the odds against them. Old and young, rich and poor, all the runners were the same on the fall day, and it made me feel as if I could do anything - anything that I wanted passionately to do.
So, volunteering made me feel good, but it taught me something about myself, and about life, as well. You can do anything you want to do with your life. You can train, work hard, eat right, and get up one morning and run a marathon. it's not that hard, really. All you have to do is want to badly enough, and you can do it. Just ask the hundreds of people who just finished the Top of Utah Marathon, they'll tell you nothing's impossible when you put your mind to the task.
