Many of us were in Brooking yesterday running either the Half Marathon or the Marathon. We saw signs out on the road talking about “Forrest Gump”, and his line “I just felt like running!” Well, that got me thinking about a lot of similarities yesterday in relation to the movie Forrest Gump. You will see me use quite a few quotes from the movie as well to make my point. That initial heading could just as well have said “I just like to run!’, or “I just like to exercise!”, or “I just like to run with my friends!”. Take your pick. But, as you will see, there are many similarities, and lessons to learn from this movie.
First, we have 2 people in our run group, WARC, Watertown Area Run Club, that actually look like Forrest Gump with their thick beards: Owen and Greg. Yesterday, Owen had a great day, running the marathon and qualifying for the Boston Marathon! You have no idea how difficult that is to do!
Here Owen is coming through the finish line and his wife and daughter are there to greet him, after cheering for him all through the race. This is Owen saying “and this is my Jenny!” (but he calls her Jenn!, and his daughter Kate) They were so proud of him, as were all the rest of us in WARC! We were all cheering each other on, because this run club group is special. We are all like “Bubba, my bestest good friend!” We help each other, cheer for each other, and train with each other. But, not all races go as planned. We can have the best training plan, work our butts off, and then the day of the race, everything, for whatever reason, falls apart. We have all had it happen, and there is no explanation. Running a race is “like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get” on actual race day. But, you for sure will get support from the rest of us.
Erika and Jill did not have a day like they were hoping for. We helped get them to the finish line. Helping Erika get to the finish line, with several of them helping her run the last 8 miles!
I was out helping Jill get through the Half. She had also trained very hard, with a goal of trying to finish under 2 hours. It just was not in the cards that day. The last few miles she kept apologizing to me for having me run slow just to help get her in. I told her she missed the whole point. It is no longer about time. It is about running, because we like to run. I told her I was just happy I was out running a Half Marathon again. 2 years ago I did not think I would ever do this again. I thought my running was done. I came close to being completely done! Who cares about the time! We have to figure out what our “destiny” is.
We all got a medal for finishing when we crossed the finish line. I am dangling my medal in front of Paula with a tenth of a mile to the finish line to help entice her. Just like Forrest gave Jenny his medal of honor in the movie. “I just got this (medal) because I did what you told me to do. Run…run as fast as you can!” We all need that extra push at times.
We all had that finish line in sight. There is no better feeling when you turn the corner and see this in front of you. Relief! Accomplishment! Joy! Friendship!!
We did not have the McElroy’s in this picture, but we got everybody else from WARC who was there yesterday. As I stated above, we all have to figure out our “destiny”. Before Forrest’s mom died in the movie, she told him “you have to figure out your own destiny”. At the end of the movie, he says “I don’t know what my destiny is. I don’t know if my mama was right, or if Lt. Dan was right.” I don’t know for sure either what our destiny is for each of us, but one thing is for sure, especially from yesterday, it is about doing the best you can, whenever you can, and be willing to accept a little help from our friends. If we do this, we will have a “destiny” to be proud of. Be there for not only yourself, but for others. If you do the best you can, at that particular moment, then you are a success. Do what you love doing, with the people you love hanging out with. I started running 45+ years ago because “I just felt like running”, but I keep running because I love it! Find your destiny! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of New Streak: #777
