Death is the great equalizer. It levels the playing field. Material possessions do not matter as do matters of the soul. The death of a 21k runner at the recently concluded 34th Milo Marathon Manila Elimination Race brings to fore the frailty of the human species. Our weaknesses were exposed and highlighted. Our strengths were reduced to the minuteness of our existence in the universe. Not even the experience of previous similar runs could offer any substantial collateral. There are no bragging rights anymore.
Finishing a previous race does not guarantee a free ticket to the finish line. Each race is unique and must be treated with respect. Conditions vary greatly and may nullify the assumptions you have made during training. Complacency isn’t only to blame. Running is unlike boxing in which your corner can throw in the towel once the outcome becomes inevitable. You alone have to decide whether to push thru or not. You cannot pass the buck. The thought of not finishing a race swirls through your mind like the “Sword of Damocles.” To quit now is to hurt your ego, which has now grown bigger for you to contain. You turn deaf to what your body is telling you. Listening now will jeopardize everything. You have reached a point of no return. Pride eventually kills.
Running is good, but it is not a panacea. It is just one aspect of total wellness. It is not a license to get reckless. We can always blame the organizers for their inadequacies, but in the end, it is ultimately ourselves who will determine our success and survival at the tape. Running can be either a friend or a foe. It can work for or against you. It is how you use it which will decide whether you can do a side-stepping move or step forward to the great beyond.
