Two lessons can be drawn from the Last Annual Vol State Road Race.
The first is that anyone—regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how old or young they may be—can accomplish unimaginable feats.
The second is that when the road gets tough and you feel like you’ve reached your breaking point, there will always be someone there to give you the extra boost you need.
I overheard one racer say to another at an angel station, “The road provides.”
That sentiment transcends just about every religious or philosophical belief.
The words may differ, but the meaning is the same.
It reminded me of the poem Footprints in the Sand, where the narrator questions why there’s only one set of footprints during life’s hardest moments, only to be told that it was then they were being carried by God.
In many ways, that’s what the angel stations do for LAVS runners.
At many of the well-established stations, runners and road angels have become like family. They ask about each other’s loved ones and catch up on life since the last race.
Terrie Wurzbacher put it best: “It’s the people who keep me coming back.”
Her drive to visit every station and reconnect with friends she’s made over the years is part of what keeps her going. That’s what carries her and so many others mile after mile.
The road can be grueling. Sometimes more than we anticipated. But it can also be immeasurably rewarding.
The road provides.
Bye until next week!
