Swelling with Pride

*This is a little about me, not-so-much about anything to do with HankOrange :)

 

As I sat on the airplane last Sunday night, I found myself holding back tears.  It could be that I’m extra emotional, or maybe I was over-tired from a lack of sleep.   Call it emotions or call it sleep deprivation.  I choose to call it something else entirely; pride.  Or I suppose I could call it proud, or ‘in-awe-of ‘or anything that means ‘beyond-impressed’ (and, well, probably a little lack of sleep too!)!

 

I am not talking about being proud of myself.  I am talking about being proud of my younger brother. He impresses me.  He inspires me.  He can do what few others can.   He just run 26.2 miles.  That fact in itself is somewhat impressive, but that isn’t what inspires me.  Many people have run and will continue to run marathons.  I mean, he ran the Chicago Marathon on Sunday with close to 45,000 other runners.  My brother, however, finished 106^th overall.  If you calculate his mile pace, he ran sub-6 minute miles (did I mention he ran TWENTY SIX miles at that pace?).  He wasn’t thrilled with his time and he was disappointed.  But, he should be impressed.  He should be proud.   If he isn’t going to be proud, then I will be proud for him! 

There is a feeling known as ‘runners high’ that a person can get after personally completing a long run workout.  I’ve had it, and it truly is a great feeling.  But I have a different (maybe better?!) ‘runner high’ right now.  I think I am ‘high’ on witnessing a runner.   I think I am literally ‘high’ with pride.  As great as a ‘runners high’ might be, the feeling of overwhelming pride I have when I think of my brother is pretty amazing!  ‘Swelling with pride’ might be a better description.  But, whatever you want to call it, one fact remains- I am one proud sister!

He is my brother.  He is a runner.  He is a FAST runner.  I couldn’t be more proud!  

At the race expo- day before the Chicago marathon