In common parlance, life is often likened to a marathon. This comparison never felt quite right in my heart because I thought these words were too cliché. However, after witnessing hundreds of faces crossing the finish line at the LA Marathon last weekend, I had to admit that life truly is a marathon.
After learning that the LA Marathon is one of the largest marathons in the country, I wanted to be a part of it, so my friend and I decided to participate as volunteers. Being someone who loves running, I wanted to be overwhelmed by the atmosphere of such a significant event.
We were assigned to the late finish line, which starts in the afternoon, and was given two main tasks – picking up litter at the regular finish line and distributing medals and snacks to the participants at the late finish line.
The finish line area was chaotic – full of people and garbage. Participants who had finished running flocked in like birds, and their families surrounded them while holding placards with cheering slogans.
Empty water bottles and milk cartons were scattered around on the street, and even non-empty ones hindered people’s steps. Towels soaked in water, provided for wiping off the participants’ sweat, turned the street into a soaked mess.
Even in that great confusion, some participants didn’t lose their kindness. People tried to find the right place to throw away the trash, and some expressed gratitude to the volunteers despite their exhausted looks. As I moved to the late finish line, I wondered how those people managed to prevent their exhaustion from affecting their attitude.
At the late finish line…
As the goal of the marathon is completion rather than coming in first place, it made those running toward the late finish line more admirable. An LED clock indicating the official running time soon reached 8 hours, and I felt a sense of sublimity while watching them.
I was the one who gave bananas to the participants, so I could observe every single face closely. Some genuinely regretted missing the regular finish line by a hair’s breadth, while others seemed happy and relieved no matter how many hours they had run. A few of them were shedding tears – I guess they felt a mix of gratitude and exhaustion. Some took bananas from my hand desperately while limping – bananas are good for cramps. The one I remember clearly was the guy who was live-streaming the moment he crossed the finish line. He looked hyped, and everyone reacted to him by clapping and giving a shout. I was also happy for him but couldn’t help thinking to myself, ‘Man, aren’t you tired?’
Before I started my volunteer service, I had brunch at a café in Beverly Hills. While eating, I saw some people who had already finished running and were walking down the street, wearing medals around their necks. Dominic Ngeno, who won first place in the 39th LA Marathon, finished in 2 hours and 11 minutes. This meant that those who crossed the late finish line had been running for about 6 more hours.
At this point, I could understand why people compare their lives to a marathon. Endurance is more important than speed, and it’s better to move in the right direction rather than trying to outrun others without any strategy. Life is like running, sometimes taking breaks, and then walking again towards the finish line. Therefore, winning is finishing the course – it’s about getting by somehow.
If marathons have water stations in the middle, we have people who give a helping hand to let us get back up when we fall and small motivators that keep us moving forward when we feel we are lagging. Within that, we find a stronger version of ourselves.
A few years ago, I started making resolutions on New Year’s Day to be better at comforting myself. If there is something we should contend with while in this world, I believe it is ‘life itself,’ not others or even ourselves. I wish I could offer myself a comforting banana at the end of my course one day. I know this sounds cliché, but what can I do? I have come to realize that clichés might be true.
Kyungmin Min is an international intern from Korea.
