The Crim Festival of Races

Impressive

Inspiring

Some day I might volunteer

I keep saying that

Not this year

But I will walk down there and see all the bustle.

Downtown

Start line

Those hand cyclers are FAST!

Then the 30 and 40-year runners!

40+ years of running this race!!!

Now THAT’s impressive

Is that Bobby Crim?

Sure enough

THE Bobby Crim, the founder of this great race

And another guy walking with a cane

Then the regular runners

Wave after wave of runners

I take a short-cut to the 2-mile point in my neighborhood

Loud music welcomes the runners to Carriage Town. 

A big guy in a fluorescent green Marine shirt doesn’t need a mic as he cheers and slaps runners’ hands.

Somebody shoots photos of specific groups of runners in matching shirts.

Police officers manage the intersection and runners thank them for being there.

I cheer for the runners, too.

“Good job!

“Doing great!

“Looking good!

“You got this!”

Runners start thanking ME for being there!

Whoa.

What’s this?

Why am I getting choked up?

Is it the parade syndrome?

(Yah, I was that little kid who cried at parades.)

Come on now.

Pull myself together.

Cheer and clap.

This matters, doesn't it?

This is important

Sorta’ like in real life

I want to be an encourager

A motivator

To cheer people on to do their best

And now some of the first walkers...

By now the photographers and hand slappers are gone.

The loud Marine has headed off in another direction.

Now it’s just me and my single voice

Now it’s quiet when I’m not cheering

Hey; people’s names are on their race bibs.

I can cheer for them by name!

Well, that’s fun.

So much appreciation

“Thank you for being here.”

So many expressions of gratitude

I realized one lady was signing “thank you” to me and then veered off course and came straight toward me to give me a hug!  Dang; I wish I knew more sign language! But at least I understood her “thank you.” And she understood my encouragement.

Such emotion

Such solidarity

Such humanity and good will

I feel a little silly…

But…  This is what I want to do

To cheer people on

To call them by name

To notice their efforts

To encourage them to be their best