Working Together

Today, I learned a very valuable lesson, taught to me by no other source than running. My sister-in-law, Sarah and I ventured out in a 20 mile race for our upcoming marathons. Prior to the race, I had a bunch of people giving me advice on how we should not try to run together. We should just go at our own pace and see what happens. I realized this advice is foolish. See these people had the idea that running your own race means that you can succeed far better than if you work together.

Today, Sarah and I debunked this awful advice! We both found our stride and worked hard to help each other out when it got sorta tough. However, if you asked her and you asked me if it felt hard to run 20 miles at a good pace, I'm sure we would both say no. Yet, if you asked each of us how our separate runs of 20 miles went, we would both tell you quite the opposite.

Why does everyone think that doing things on our own is way more effective than doing them with someone else? Now, there is something to point out. Sarah and I run about the same pace. If I tried to run this race with Lance Armstrong, things would have gone horribly wrong. See, another point I learned is that we need to seek out people that we relate to to run out the course of this life. Why and try and pick people that we really have nothing in common with? Why and try to force ourselves into running pace with people we really are not in tune with? You see, it takes practice and humility to learn how to work together. I am sure there were times today that Sarah felt like, I could probably pick this pace up a bit. Yet, she didn't, she kept on running beside me because she knew that the end result of us finishing a good race together was far more important that finishing 5 seconds faster per mile. You see, I believe this life is meant to be run together. We waste our time thinking we can get better results doing it alone.

Pick someone you love, someone you trust, someone you know you want better for than you want for yourself, and run with them! Encourage them, make them know that you care that they finish well. Sure, I'm happy about how well we did. But, the greater sense of happiness comes from the bond we created helping each other finish strong.