All the training is done! In 7 days I will be running my first marathon. All that is left to do is mental preparation. This has been ongoing, but now that is all that is left to do. Avoid injury. Stay loose. Visualize. I feel confidant and ready.
Right now, the weather forecast is for rain, but that does not concern me. It might be cold, but I’m not worried about that. Once I start running, the weather won’t matter. Besides, one can only get so wet.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians that “all who enter the race run, but only one will win the prize. Run so as to win.” But what is the prize? Obviously, completing a marathon is a prize. In fact, completing the training was a big accomplishment. I’m certainly not in any position to win the marathon. I’m not able to run fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon (3:20). I do hope to finish in less than 5 hours. I’m healthier and in better shape than I have been in years. I have discovered a love for running and enjoy the natural endorphines that come form doing that. But, there has to be more to this than just completing a marathon for myself.
So, again, I ask, what is the prize? In this case, the prize is raising awareness and support for students in Oak Park; students who don’t have medical car, school supplies, adequate clothing, or even food. Most of these children ar on the free or reduced free lunch program at school and some of them do not eat over the weekends because they don’t have food at home. I probably could have done more to raise money for them. I have three kids at home that have everything they need and I was hoping to raise enough to support three children at this school ($1000 per child supports them for one year), but I was not agressive enough in my marketing and I have not been able to raise close to that.
I will learn from this experience and I hope to do more running for a reason. My next goal is to run a 50K and then to participate in the Epies Great Race next year.
It’s not too late to donate. Visit my fundraising site here: https://grouprev.com/kirkmcmorris
