I was less than a mile from the finish line of my first 10 mile Broad Street Run, I had a great stride and was feeling confident.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw a petite woman, no taller than 5′.  This woman, who was power walking not running, passed me.  I was insulted and annoyed, how could she pass me – she was walking, I’m running, there is no way that is possible.  She was in her zone, not a care in the world – you could see it on her face. I took her passing me as a personal challenge, like it was her personal challenge to pass me, now I realized that it was silly but at the moment I swore it was true.  I increased my pace and passed her, I smiled as I passed her as if to say – I showed you!!  Less than 30 seconds after passing her I started to feel lightheaded.  Although I couldn’t see it, I knew the finish line was near but was starting to question if I was going to make it.

With the finish line near I had to make a decision, either slowdown so that I could complete the race or continue at my current pace and risk blacking right before the finish line.  Reluctantly I slowed down and yup, my nemesis passed me.  I finished the race and was proud of myself but a part of me felt defeated because I let the her pass me.  It wasn’t until sometime later that I realized the life lesson in that race, run the race meant for me not anyone else.  My petite power walking friend was in her zone, she wasn’t thinking about me, she was moving in the race that was designed uniquely for her.

I almost missed completing my first 10 mile run because I was looking at someone else. I was at the cusp of meeting my goal and almost quit because I was looking at someone else.  How many times are we almost at the finish line of reaching our goal but stop short from achieving it because we were looking at someone else’s race rather than minding our own.  We don’t see our finish line and think what someone else’s is doing may be more successful so we switch to their race, when possibly our finish line was so very near.

This year made my 6th Broad Street Run, I now run it in my zone. If someone passes me I give a genuine smile and wish them well because I know I will eventually see them at the finish line regardless of how long it takes me to get there…. I will get there and so will you! Run the race that is uniquely designed for you!