The race and the runners

The world is producing athletes at speeds never seen before. It has brought up men and women that are runners, runners that are young and dedicated. The tracks are provided, and the shoes are tailor-made. They are supported by cutting-edge technology to ease the burden and produce the best outcome.

The runners are running in a circuit, chasing the time that keeps flying to reach the same destination they started at and call it the finish line. The finish line then becomes a starting line, and the running starts over.

All are waiting for the sound of a firearm to start the race. They run at a given pace until they hear a bell which signals the approach of the end, and the runners pick up the pace to finish ahead of everyone else. Some are privileged to lap the others, and others choose to quit or be lapped and accept defeat while still running the race.

The majority are running against the person next to them; only a few are running against the time they have set for themselves. They run to beat the time they set as their best, regardless of where they finish on the top list, with full knowledge that if they get ahead of their best times every time, they will eventually beat everyone else.

They run to beat their yesterday and hence don’t require the presence of another to keep running the race. The runner who runs to beat the other will stop when no one is left, but the runner who runs to better himself will keep on running as the race is infinite.

The question that begs an answer is whether everyone is racing the same race. Although we share the same tracks, it does not necessarily mean we are running the same race. We are all runners, running races on tracks but in different tournaments of life.

We are raised from babies to toddlers growing to be fit for school ages. We dive into education, passing through elementary, junior high, and high school, and finally off to college. After college, we run for jobs and subsequently go for a lookout to find a loved one to marry. The loved one bears a child, and we deal with raising a child. The tracks are similar for the majority. The difference is the choice of the tournament.

These races seem so similar that we are at risk of running for counterfeits. We could run our whole lives for races we didn’t sign up for, regretting every moment of every turn. We are eventually left with no choice but to keep running the race and make ends meet.

We join races fueled by pressures from parents, peers, colleges, or the media. The influence of social media; on the races we choose takes the upper hand, having an immense impact on our field of choice and perspectives in life. The world tries to give us cheap wins as a reward to help us forget the better races that we should race. It weakens our dreams and prevents our eyes from seeing far head from the cheap prize that blurs our view.

Which race are you running? Did you choose it wisely, or whom are you following? These similar tracks are so deceptive that they need a conscious mind to discern. Every corner seeks our focus; every starting line needs a clear head, and every finish line needs a moment of reflection. Choose the right race and keep on running without losing focus. This race is infinite, and it is always for the betterment of the self. Our competition should not be the person we are running against but the person we were yesterday. That is the good race. Keep on running the good race.

      Be all you can be.✌

Let me know your comments below.👇