Running on Empty
In my mind today I am thinking about running. I’m in my writing spot watching my youngest son leave to run with friends. I remember all of those years in basketball and playing sports from the 3rd grade on up running. In college I promised myself I would never run again when I was finally finished with sports. After marriage and a baby I became a runner again. I also started playing softball again. This season was so much fun because I ran and I played sports again because I love them. I rediscovered how good it felt to be in shape. During my coaching years I continued to run with my players. As a teacher, my classes loved playing kickball and I played with them. It was the best reward and motivator. So many important life lessons are taught on sandlots believe it or not. Civility. Graciously losing but equally important graciously winning. These are two of the biggest. Look at our world. It looks like we need a few more lessons in civility.
The last time I ran, I face planted. It was a Saturday morning. I was running a 6 mile loop around downtown. I was always so tired by this point. I did not understand why my body was giving up. I kept pushing myself. Instead of 6 miles I told my partner I was going to cut off 2 miles taking the road beside my church. Right before the end of the road I tripped and was a bloody mess at about 5 AM. I got up and looked up at God and then to my church and said, “OK God.” That was my last running day and I still have the scars on the side of my head and my shoulder. At this point I was losing so much. I was trying desperately not to give up running. That season left me but it also inspired me.
In 2016, I called my friend about the annual mission March that we have each year here. He sadly told me that they were not going to do it this year. I was bummed out because I was going to just walk and maybe awareness of ALS. My friend said, “Why don’t we just make it a March for ALS?” I said, “Great! I want to be on the committee!” He said, “You are the committee.” He then taught me how to do a race and we did this race together until he went to the other side of eternity two years ago.
The Autumn March for ALS lives on today. So many beautiful things have blossomed out of this race. Friendships, community outreach, healthy living, scholarships, a Haunted Trail, and so much LOVE are just some of the fruits of the race. This year will be the 8th year for me and 31 years for the “March” to be celebrated on the third Saturday of October. Please consider being The Good with me October 15th in Downtown Dyersburg at 9 am. Just as Bart and I dreamed long ago, kids run FREE!
Sarah Anderson Alley
Sal the Autumn March Gal
Quotes of the Day:
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
“You just can’t beat the person who won’t give up.”
“There is no failure except in no longer trying.”
https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Dyersburg/MARCHFORALS
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