This post is a deviation from my normal writing. I was inspired and needed to share the goodness.
This past weekend, I ran the 11-miler at the Big Sur International Marathon. It was a perfect running day, but the most beautiful thing I saw had nothing to do with the scenery. It happened about a quarter-mile from the finish line.
My running partner, Karen, and I came across a marathoner who was in serious trouble. He was unstable, stumbling from side to side, veering off into the grass. He was physically spent, his body giving out just yards from the goal.
What happened next is something I’ll never forget. And yes, there were some tears.
The “Helper” Runners
One runner stopped to check on him. The young man tried to snap out of it, insisting he was “okay,” but he clearly wasn’t. Then, two other runners did something incredible. They didn’t just ask if he was fine; they stepped in. One put the man’s arm around his neck. Then a second helper joined on the other side.
The marathoner was essentially dead weight; hunched over, barely able to move his legs. These two strangers took on his burden. Karen and I knew we couldn’t physically carry him as he was much taller and completely out of it, but we knew we couldn’t leave. We initially stayed right by the marathoner, watching until the two strangers stepped in to help.
The Trio at the Finish
By the time they reached the end, two medics took over, basically carrying the man across the finish line and straight to the medical tent.
To witness that level of kindness and selflessness was overwhelming. Karen and I both welled up in the moment, and honestly, as I write this, I’m welling up again.
Why This Matters (Beyond the Race)
We spend so much time debating: pedagogy, politics, the “right” way to do things. But in that moment, none of that mattered. What mattered was a human being in need and others who were willing to sacrifice their own time to ensure a stranger made it home.
This is how we should be at all times. Whether it’s in our classrooms, our district offices, or our communities:
- See the struggle: Don’t just take “I’m okay” for an answer when someone is clearly stumbling.
- Shoulder the weight: Be the person who stops to put an arm around a colleague or a student who is “dead weight” in that moment.
- Watch the back: Even if you can’t carry the load, stay behind. Watch out for each other until help arrives.
At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to get across the finish line. It’s a lot easier, and a lot more meaningful, when we do it together.
Nowa Techie 