This year’s version of the Times Colonist 10k run in Victoria was another reminder of the amazing resilience of people and the inspiration they provide for those of us constantly seeking improvement in not only our run times, but our lives in general.
Standing in the throng of ten thousand or more people gathered to run the 24th edition of the “TC”, as it is affectionately called, it’s hard not be inspired by the elder statesmen and women of the sport who could easily pass for my parents, if not grandparents, huddled with the rest of the crowd in anticipation of the official start.
Equally impressive are the kids whose abilities seem to far outstrip their age as they try to contain the excitement that seems to overwhelm us all and save it for their own ”race to the finish line”.
Most inspiring of all is when I see those kids and older folks pass me at some point in the race, and if by chance I happen to pass them I just can’t seem to do it without shouting some words of encouragement as a sort of payback for the inspiration they’ve provided to help me get to that point in the run.
Inevitably some will pass me again and it’s then that my smile broadens even further. Truly amazing.
I marvel at what motivates people to get up early and run hard for 5, 8, 10, 21 or 42 kilometres, either alone or in packs that dominate the morning routes around Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula.
Their commitment is profound and the inspiring effect they have on others cannot be easily measured.
It’s hard to live here and not be inspired.
Olympians and Paralympians are everywhere. Gold medal rowers at Elk Lake, road and mountain biking champions in constant motion around our neighbourhoods and world class triathletes running in the same events as, well, me.
How cool is it to be in the same event as Simon Whitfield, even if he is crossing the finish line while I am pushing for the half way mark?
It’s all so inspiring but still, as I am making my way towards the 10k mark, trying for my own personal best, it’s those people who are wringing every drop of sustenance out of their lives and those kids who I have no doubt will be doing the same thing in sixty, seventy or eighty years who truly inspire me to follow suit and make the most out of every day.
They are here at the events I run in but I know their equals are found at all of the events across Canada and indeed around the world. They come in all ages, shapes, sizes, and nationalities and the effect they have on us is probably similar.
I call it inspiration and you can call it whatever you want but I think everyone would agree when I say …
Long may they run.