Watching
the London marathon on television today served as a reminder of the many years I've sat at home with thoughts of running it
one day. It's certainly a great feeling
knowing that it's no longer a thought, I actually did the training and run
the race, not once but five times. Of
course the first race is the one that mean the most to me, I remember the excitement,
the nerves as I waited on the start line. Questions such as what will be like?
How long will it take? How will I cope mentally as well as physically, raced through my mind. That night I had very little sleep and before long I was there at the start ready to go. As I ran along the streets
of London with so many people cheering us on it was the most amazing feeling, I was on
cloud nine. Crossing the finish line in the mall three hours eighteen minutes
later I was elated I had achieved far more than I dreamt I was capable of,
surpassing my own expectation.
It is
good to reflect because when you do it's extremely humbling to grasp
the extent of God's grace, without which none of this would be possible. I am grateful for the encouragement of
fellow runners, family and friends who got behind me giving advice and support.
The huge crowds that line the streets come rain or shine are always a huge
surprise but a great source of inspiration to all the runners. So today a big cheer to
everyone who ran, if you feel inspired get your trainers out start training
and you never know it could be the start of something that could change your
life.
Prayers and thoughts for all affected by the Boston explosions.