The biggest part of being in this race we call life is making it past the finish line (so to speak). Whether that’s reaching the pentacle of our careers or traveling to all the places we could ever imagine. We hope, wish and pray for a chance to see all of our dreams come to fruition.But in doing so, we so easily forget to savor every precious second, minute, day, month, year. And in doing so, we lose all that life is made up of. We forego our ability to live in the now.
This is one of the biggest obstacles that I face because the world can be a dark and scary place. But the Hot Cider Hustle has reminded me to take hold of each fleeting moment.
Did I ever think that I would finish a 5K in a little over 33 minutes? No. I was just hoping to beat my previous 2016 score. Everything can look so much further away when we focus too much on getting there and not the actual process itself.
Last year, I was keen on running the entire race without walking, but I ended up tiring myself out. This year, I took walking breaks. And although it looked as though I would have a slower time, I surprised myself in the end.

It wasn’t because I just so happened to pick up a new method of running or got just that bit more sprightly.

I learned to enjoy what I had around me. I learned to enjoy the process. But when I made it across that finish line, I had an even greater appreciation. Because in learning to savor every moment, my result was much greater than I had ever expected.

A special thanks to Chris for his photography.

-Jas