I think I've mentioned before that I'm an Olympics fan. The first Olympics I really remember watching was the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. I was a Mark Spitz fan. If it had been possible for my 7 year old mind to push him through the water faster, I'm sure he would have felt the boost. It was a great thing watching him swim. It's too bad I'd forgotten an even bigger story from that Olympics. It's the story of John Stephen Akhwari, the man who finished dead last in the marathon.
John was a world renowned distance runner from Tanzania. At about the half way point of the 42 kilometer marathon, he and some other runners were jostling for position. He fell injuring his knee pretty badly as well as his shoulder. He was 21 kilometer from the finish of the race. By all accounts, he should have stopped. Eighteen other runners from the field didn't finish. There would have been no shame in failing to finish. John Stephen Akhwari did not stop. He hobbled, limped and walked the rest of the way. He finished the race a full hour behind the gold medalist. There were only a few people and a single film crew left in the stadium to acknowledge his courage. When asked why he didn't stop after his fall he replied, "My country did not send me 10,000 miles just to start the race; they sent me to finish the race."
I've been blessed with the opportunity to live at an amazing time in history. So many things are happening. Amazing, wonderful things. Challenging, frightening things. Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes the challenges crush you to the ground. It's those times when you really need to find that bit of faith and hope inside.You have to pick yourself up and go on and finish the race you've begun with all the strength and courage you can muster.
I don't know what's in my future. I don't know what joys or challenges lie ahead. I do know that I am here to finish this race.
John was a world renowned distance runner from Tanzania. At about the half way point of the 42 kilometer marathon, he and some other runners were jostling for position. He fell injuring his knee pretty badly as well as his shoulder. He was 21 kilometer from the finish of the race. By all accounts, he should have stopped. Eighteen other runners from the field didn't finish. There would have been no shame in failing to finish. John Stephen Akhwari did not stop. He hobbled, limped and walked the rest of the way. He finished the race a full hour behind the gold medalist. There were only a few people and a single film crew left in the stadium to acknowledge his courage. When asked why he didn't stop after his fall he replied, "My country did not send me 10,000 miles just to start the race; they sent me to finish the race."
I've been blessed with the opportunity to live at an amazing time in history. So many things are happening. Amazing, wonderful things. Challenging, frightening things. Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes the challenges crush you to the ground. It's those times when you really need to find that bit of faith and hope inside.You have to pick yourself up and go on and finish the race you've begun with all the strength and courage you can muster.
I don't know what's in my future. I don't know what joys or challenges lie ahead. I do know that I am here to finish this race.
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