This morning was a break from our daily routine. We woke up so early because we needed to be at the Patikarun venue by 5 a.m. I encouraged Pakner4lyf to join this fun run because I know he may have a chance of winning. If he wins, we can have extra money for EJ's first birthday. For us, this is "Run for EJ's birthday bash."
This fun run was organized by the Cooperative Union of Batangas. Of course, our cooperative invited us to participate. Pakner4lyf used to compete in this kind of event at a young age. In recent years, he began running as a form of exercise, but a heavy workload prevented him from continuing. For this event, he only had one week to condition his body again. I am glad he didn't refuse to participate and was positive about joining the fun run.
The distance was approximately 3 to 5 kilometers, but the organizers were unsure of the exact measurement. Nearly 300 participants joined this fun run, which began at SM Hypermarket in Balagtas, Batangas City, and ended at the Batangas Provincial Capitol. Men and women of various ages participated, and the event started at 5:30 am.
I went with my pakner4lyf so I can help him drive the car to the finish line, and of course, I want to be there to witness the event as well. I had no choice but to bring the little one with me. I was trying to figure out how I would drive the car if EJ was awake. And so it was! He didn't sleep and was fully awake. In our conversation, it could take 30 minutes or less for him to finish. It took me some time to leave the parking area because I was trying to settle EJ, but I had to leave the place to catch up with the runners at the finish line, so I was forced to drive with a crying baby. Good thing it was just a short drive.
On the way, I still see a lot of runners on the road. I was trying to see if I could spot pakner4lyf in that crowd. Upon arriving at the capitol, I found a nice place to park and got the little one out of the car to calm him down. I was certain that pakner was already there. I began to look for him to find out the results. He made it to the top twenty! Hurray! It took about 15 minutes for the first-place winner to cross the finish line. Pakner4lyf estimates he is around 5 minutes short of catching up with the winner. By the way, the first and second place represent our cooperative as well, and they are both very young, around their 20s.
I am inspired by my pakner4lyf's attitude, knowing he can finish the race and is determined to belong among the top runners. He didn't fail to meet his expectations. This is one of the attitudes I admire in him. For me, joining a race and living each day is almost the same. To be successful and to survive requires having the right mindset about what you want to become. Once you know what you want, you need to develop discipline every day to achieve that success. It takes work and practice for an athlete to win. I had one question today: "If I joined the fun run today, do I have the guts to finish it?" I know I can't belong to the top, but what matters most is finishing it without quitting.
Reflecting on my life, similar to running, "LIFE" is not easy. Hardships come my way, and they often make me want to quit. Sometimes, I ask God to simply finish my life so that I no longer have to face life's difficulties. This is my own way of giving up rather than continuing to strive. My partner's attitude and view of life inspire me to persevere and keep running our race. Together, we will run the race that God has set for us. We will teach our children to continue running their own life journeys as well.
Tomorrow marks EJ's first birthday, and I am amazed to see how he strives to thrive. If you have followed his birth story, you'll certainly understand what I mean. It is through God's healing hands that he has continued to grow and survive. Although it took a long time for him to respond to his therapy, I am confident that things are better for him now.
Our greatest assurance is that we will surely finish this race because God is with us; His strength will help us make it through.
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