I didn’t scare the beginning runners off after all. Phew that was a relief!
So when Esther asked me to lead the advanced group again, I was a little nervous. Hmmm, would they secretly trip me? Would I be going along at a really nice pace only to look behind me and find that I was talking to myself?
Happily neither happened. But what it did do, was confirm for me, just how much I love running.
I found myself, laughing and smiling. And even better, the runners were also doing the same thing.
When we stopped about half way to stretch, we did so with smiles on our faces. And when it was time to start running again, we came up with a game plan that worked for all of us.
I was very happy when just before we started to run again, someone clapped and said, “let’s do this”!!! And meant it.
For me the highlight of the run was when one of the runners said to me, “who knew two short weeks ago that we would be able to run more than five minutes at a time? It seems like we were just grumbling about running for 30 seconds straight!”
I’d like to be able to take credit for this wonderful transformation. Sadly I can’t. It is Esther who motivates and tells us runners we can do it.
She is the one who believes in us, when we doubt ourselves.
I hope I can motivate runners someday like Esther can. In the meantime, I’ll work on me. And maybe I’ll invest in one of the rear view mirros that cyclists use.