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Dave Griffin On Running
The Carroll County Times – Sunday, February 7, 2010
The clock beside the finish line was relentless, ticking along as Lori Bentley desperately tried to reach it in less than thirty minutes. It was a goal she had shared with me and the group that was waiting for her, as she struggled in the final mile of the 5K race.
Her friend, Stephanie, got her to start running back in 2007. That’s not unusual. Many people try running for the first time after being encouraged by a friend. After all, it takes courage to start as an adult, but this encouragement came in an unusual way.
Lori met Stephanie at her work and within months they were best friends. At the time, both of them were struggling with the normal stresses of work and life, and a close friend added a foundation of comfort.
Stephanie was younger than Lori by about ten years, but that didn’t seem to matter. She was smart and quick-witted, one of the funniest people Lori had ever known. Since both of their husbands were away during the evenings, they would go to Lori’s house after work. Stephanie became part of Lori’s family.
Over time, Lori learned about Stephanie’s illness, juvenile diabetes. Stephanie had been on an insulin pump for years, but didn’t really take the disease seriously enough, so when she developed an infection, she simply removed the pump and began using injections.
The details aren’t really important. One day, Stephanie became shaky and disoriented. The next day, she was in a coma. Then, she was dead. It was July 2007. Stephanie was 30 years old. She never ran.
For a while, Lori’s world was empty. The part that Stephanie had filled was vacant, until Lori learned about a diabetes 5K taking place that October.
Running was hard, but Lori found purpose in preparing for the race in Stephanie’s honor. Early on, she had to get beyond the self-consciousness, but that didn’t take long. Running soon became a new way to cope with life’s hard issues.
Three years later, we waited for Lori at another finish line, the clock still moving toward thirty minutes. When we finally saw her in the distance, we weren’t sure she would make it. She was pressing hard, but the seconds were ticking away. We screamed encouragement as she got closer.
Life takes its twists and turns. Sometimes we dream about what lies ahead and our dream comes true. Other times we’re unprepared. Whatever the case may be, life isn’t so much about what lies around the next bend, but about how we respond to what we find there. Lori met her goal with thirteen seconds to spare.
Time is relentless, like a clock at the finish line. If we knew what lies ahead, most of us would be more proactive. We’d take control of life. We’d do first things first and get beyond excuses.
Therein lies another secret that a running life unveils. Each day is an opportunity to find peace and clarity, and Lori finds that as she runs along, always remembering the friend who got her started.
Dave Griffin
Dave Griffin is the Times’ running writer. His column appears every other Sunday. Reach him at dpgflyingfeet@aol.com or join the Facebook group, Flying Feet Running Programs.