A changing perspective

I know what it is like to force yourself to put one foot in front of the other when all you want to do is stop. I know what it is like to have people publicity vocalize their doubt that you can accomplish your goal. I know what it is like to sacrifice time with my kids and my family. I know what it is like to not have a social life and to be okay with that because my thoughts are obsessed by my drive to succeed.

I know all about grueling journeys.

I have spent the last 6 years trying to earn a college degree. I entered the world of academia as a non-traditional student and endured the smirks of much younger students and the disdain of my generation who cannot imagine why in the world I would want to attempt such a thing.

I've always had a drive to exceed others expectations of me. I am not a perfectionist but I do believe that if we fail to push ourselves, we will miss opportunities for greatness. I think the thing that keeps that fire burning is to surround ourselves with like-minded people that serve as our examples and/or mentors.

That is what I have in Mark Allison. When I first met him, I was struck by how down-to-earth he really is. And how ordinary he seemed. You see, I had put Mark on a pedestal, where gods and heroes belong. And while there is nothing wrong with a l'il “hero worship”, it does tend to make that individual a little hard to relate to. I would read about his 3 day marathon and tell myself to suck it up. I felt bad about not being as tough as he is.

And then I met him... and I discovered he is very human. I watched him order a juicy hamburger and enjoy every second of it. Then I watched him do it again the next day. This time he made the choice to order a salad instead of fries as his side item but that didn't stop him from stealing some of mine. I watched him fight his nervousness when we entered a ward of sick children. I could tell the father in him wanted to run away from such sad images. I watched him struggle with dehydration and heard his yells as he soaked his feet in ice water for the first time after he finished on day one. I heard him bare his soul to a fellow traveler as he attempted to make sense of his own drive to run across the country.

For me, Mark lost his superhero status.... and that makes me happy.

He is still one of my hero's. I still look up to and admire him. But he is no longer on a pedestal where I can't reach him. Instead, he is by my side giving me words of encouragement and expressing gratitude for the littlest things. He is quick with a smile and a joke. He is genuinely concerned about my feelings . I can tell my happiness is important to him.

What this revelation of Mark's mortality has done for me is provide me with a new vision about my own future. You see, I don't have to be a superhero. I don't have to be perfect. I don't even have to achieve all my goals. The lessons I have learned from Mark are pretty simple. I do have to try. I have to do the best I can everyday and then be humble enough to know my limitations. I have to take the time to enjoy the scenery along life's road because otherwise, the journey was a waste.

If Mark can make himself get up every day and run as far as he can, then I can make myself get up every day and study while riding in the RV. If he can cross the finish line in NYC in August, then I can cross that stage in Witherspoon Hall in December.

Mark isn't Superman. He's an example of how a mere human can accomplish his dreams through determination and will power. Mark is a mentor. And that is exactly what we need in this world.

For more information about Mark and his run, go to www.rungeordierun.com