Partnerships

Ran the Nike 10k Race yesterday, clocked a time of around 56 minutes. I guess it's acceptable and not too bad, since I never really do train much for my runs. But I really expected better. Funny how we (I) always expect more than what we put in. After I finished my race, I hung around the finishing line for a while, watching the other runners coming in while catching my breath and cooling down.

Many of them, in the last 100 metres, came in hand-in-hand. Many were couples, pretty sweet. (: Some of the other pairs were ladies. I didn't see 2 guys come in hand-in-hand though, (fortunately).

I've never run a race with someone else's hand in mine, but I can imagine how it much it takes both parties. The faster one (let's assume it's the guy in this case, and no, I'm not being sexist. Just for convenience's sake) would have to be willing to slow down his pace to accomodate her, not to get fed up halfway and leave his partner behind. She would have to be willing to try her best to match up to his pace and not to slow down or give up. There has to be so much willingness by both parties, so much resolve and determination to say, "Yes, let's try to make this partnership work out. Together."

It is no mean feat, I have to admit. There were times when I was running with some friends and I do get a little irritated, (even though I'm willing to slow down) that they (in my perhaps skewed and biased perpsective) do not seem to be trying hard enough. There were also times when I was running with guys faster than me, and find it extremely challenging to catch up.

What drives this willingness, resolve and determination?

I think it's love. As one of my friend rightly told me "When you love someone, it's not about you. It's about her."

Nobody said loving someone would be easy.

Whenever I think of how my mother would prepare breakfast for me every single day, never bearing a grudge when I have almost never thanked her for it;
Whenever she has to wake up earlier than me everyday before 5:30am so that she can wake me up and I won't be late, even when she does not need to;
Whenever I tell her that I'm not free to have dinner with her because I've something on and yet she never revealed her disappointment at not being able to have dinner with her own son;

I'm reminded of what love is.
It was always about me and never about her.


And if you fall before you cross the finishing line, I promise to carry you across it. Together.