Fingerprint Friday: Finish Lines
Friday, May 14, 2010 at 7:00AM MAD21 By MAD21
You don't have to be a runner to know the importance of a finish line. But to anyone who runs in organized races the finish line is something you loooong to see, no matter how long the race.
This past Sunday, I was invited to run with a few friends in a Mother's Day 5k. A small race with about 40 other people, who I might add are far better runners than myself. Of course, I had already completed a long run on Saturday by the time I'd heard about this race (10 miles), but I figured, why not. It's just a fun run with some friends.
Now something non-runners might not know is that if you are going to run in a race, or any distance, it is never a good idea to run long and hard the day before. Your muscles are tired and weak, and need time to recover. But again, I figured.. why not?
By about the first mile, I was feeling the agony of weak muscles. But I kept pushing. All I kept saying was, "I just don't want to be last!!" (And, by the way... that's not just this race but all races!) We were running in a neighborhood I was not familiar with, and I wasn't sure of the route that was chosen for us to run, so aside from looking at how long I had been running it was hard to tell how much further it was to the end.
You know you must be getting close to the finish line when you start to see the front runners running back at you from the opposite direction. That which should depress you (because it reminds you how far behind you are), actually encourages you because you know you must be close.
And then, as you round that last corner.. there it is: THE FINISH LINE. Someone standing there waiting to give you a card with your place number on it and tell you your time. Just when you feel like you are going to collapse from exhaustion, you are re-energized with the excitement of having finished a difficult task.
I love finishing things. Crossing things off my list of things I need to get done. As a stay-at-home-mom, it's such a wonderful feeling to just finish... anything. Whether it is tasks around the house, projects for school, helping the kids prepare for an event... or finishing a race. That sense of accomplishment is nothing less than a fingerprint of God.
Fellow blogger Beki at The Rusted Chain has a really great weekly post she does every Friday called "Fingerprint Friday." We are to look around and see where we can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Anywhere? Go find out where Beki saw God this week, and be sure to check out the other bloggers who linked their stories as well.
Reader Comments (6)
I love this! That's exactly how I feel when I finish something.
I've never thought of it in those terms before, what a beautiful idea.
Yes, that is why I keep all those lists...to have the pleasure of making them off! Great Fingerprint post!
Good for you for running two in a row! I've just done a couple of run-walks (mostly walk) for United Way. We go around and around a park so we can actually see the finish line the whole time, but it certainly seems a long way off when we start and it's such a wonderful feeling to cross it at last!
To me, anyone that runs a race is a winner and I have the greatest respect for them.. I like lists and try to keep them.
Have a great weekend..and Happy Fingerprint Friday..
Love this! I always get the same high when I finish something. Never really thought of it this way before.