ARE YOU STILL RUNNING YOUR RACE?

The world is a noisy place and it’s become unbearably noisier with the advent of internet. We’re constantly bombarded with information from all corners and sometimes we might feel overwhelmed and lost in the web. There has also emerged a new set of challenges that has been brought about by social media. There is too much pressure to fit into some social lifestyle that is simply not ours. This social influence is built around comparisons where we get into a race to benchmark ourselves with our peers. Unknown to many, most of those that you stress to look like, are living a lie. They live fake lives. They’re broke and in debt. Yet we give in and labor to look the part. We struggle to look successful even if we’re in misery. This is the highest level of servitude in modern world.

We’ve lost our vision chasing after glamour that is peddled through social media by our peers. We’re now living other people’s lives. It takes effort and discipline to stay focused on our goals.

My question today is: Have you lost your race or you’re still on track?

I still remember the Lewa Marathon of 2009. This time I was working with Uchumi Supermarkets. I got news that I was among the few who had been picked to represent the company in this event under ‘Corporate’ category. Our category fell under 21 kilometer run (Half Marathon). There were those who would cover full marathon (42 kilometers). The 42 Km was meant especially for professional athletes. So, I was very excited and took time to exercise in advance. In Lewa, the track is a 21 kilometers. So, those doing 21 Km were to do one round and those booked for 42 Km, two rounds.

When we set off at the start of the marathon, it was a confused crowd of around 1,200 participants. But within few minutes, each one of us was on his/her own. Each was running his race. When I had covered around 12 Km, the real athletes zoomed past me. They had already done the first 21 Km lap and were on the 2nd. This means that they were racing at a speed 3 times what I was doing. I felt discouraged that I was this slow. But just a distance ahead, I started passing people who were so tired for the race. Others had given up and decided to sit down. Others were just walking. I was better than them, I thought. I added more speed to catch up with and leave behind some more people. I finished the race at position #571 and got a medal. So did the personal who finished last. We all got the medals. But the athletes who won the race also took home cash rewards.

Years later, I thought of this race and discovered that we were all running different races even though we were on the same track. In this race, there were people running for different objectives – maybe more than 10 objectives. I identified five key objectives or motives for people to come over for Lewa Marathon:

1. There were those who registered because they were looking to win cash prices.
2. There were those who came, like myself, because we were sponsored by our organizations
3. There are those who registered just to come and have fun, watch the moonlight at night, enjoy the rare warmth of the bonfire and sleep under tented camps.
4. There are those who registered as part of their program to keep fit
5. Yet, there is also a team who came because they identify with the cause for which this event raises money.

People may have registered for a host of other reasons. Different reasons.

1,200 participants, one track, different races. Despite the big crowd, each was focused on their race and to achieve their goals that brought them in the middle of the wild.

Back to the question: Are you still running your race? Are you still focused on your life and what you want to achieve or you’re confused and lost in the middle of the crowd?