Obama articulated the heartbeat of the marathon as being the support of thousands of people who come not to race, but to stand on the sidelines and cheer. People show up in throngs to stand on the edge with a cup of water. Whenever an exhausted runner wants one, all he or she has to do is reach out and grab. No need to ask politely or even say thank you. The folks waiting to serve find their reward in another revenue stream. It's a small thing. But then again not so small.

 

One of the commentators interviewed a participant.

 

"People think you need long legs to run the marathon. It helps but what you need is there before you arrive. The streets are lined with people offering support in surround sound. When I want to give up I see them and keep going." 

 

There are people on the sidelines waiting to encourage couples who are getting winded. Last night a small group of friends gathered to talk about mentoring. The topic was "Why does it have to be so hard?" and we shared stories of how we slogged through our own marathons. 

 

Now it is our turn to hold cups of water. 

 

 

 

Photo by Jenny Stein

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