Aside from the joy of an extra hour of sleep (the “fall back” of daylight saving time), Sunday morning I got up before dawn for a favorite tradition I’ve kept for the past decade: running the Cooper Norcross 10K Bridge Run in support of the Larc School community, which serves people, especially children, with significant special needs.
It’s a fun run, as runs go. We start in Camden, New Jersey, do a 3-mile loop across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, over the Delaware River into Philadelphia, and back, followed by 3.2 more miles into and through the city of Camden.
The view from the bridge is amazing, and the weather was unseasonably gorgeous: 50 degrees, bright blue sky (once the sun eventually came up), and zero wind. Perfect running weather.
My Very Own Cheering Section
But what made this race even more wonderful for me is that it’s the one race when, in recent years, I come with my very own cheering section. My mother, my husband, and my son all voluntarily get up with me an hour before the sun even begins to appear, and come along as support.
Usually I run other races alone and simply enjoy and appreciate the cheers of others lining the route, as I’ve written about previously But there’s something special about having your own cheering section.
I tend to be someone who doesn’t like to ask for help and doesn’t like to impose on others. (Who on earth wants to get up an hour or two before sunrise just to stand out in the cold and watch other people run?) But somehow, for this race, I asked my husband and mom to bring my son, who is always game for anything, and join me.
They sent me off from the starting line. We saw each other at the halfway point. And they were there to cheer me on as I crossed the finish line. I was grateful and encouraged to see them at each point, I found myself reflecting on a number of things along the way.
When the Universe Sends You Signs Along the Route
A few signs along the way caught my eye and served as simple reminders about important life lessons:
The first said, “Welcome to the Bridge.”
It made me think about the importance of welcoming people and making them feel welcomed, no matter how small and mundane the moment may appear to be.
Another made me laugh. As I trudged up the long incline on the way back over the bridge, it said: “Reduce Speed: 35mph”. I chuckled to myself and thought, I’m pretty sure that was NOT intended for me!, and continued my plod up the hill.
It reminded me of the importance of laughter as fuel to persevere in life’s harder moments.
And at the bottom of the bridge, there was a sign that simply said, “Thank you”.
That one reminded me of the importance of the simple act of thanking people, even when they’re just doing the thing they signed up to do — maybe even the thing you’re paying them to do.
Let’s face it: people work a lot harder, for a lot longer, when they receive a sign that the work they’ve already done has been noticed and appreciated.
Generosity, Humility, and Gratitude at the Finish Line
Which brings me back to my family, and this last picture of the four of us with my son making an age-appropriate obligatory goofy face while proudly wearing my medal.
Of course, it’s just a participant’s medal. Not like I had any chance or delusion of actually winning. But that was never the point.
It all comes back to generosity, humility, and gratitude, in both small and large gestures, verbal and otherwise. Letting my family be there for me made me feel wonderful, loved, and appreciated. And that final sign reminded me to thank them yet again for coming out to show their support.
It made me want to pay it forward and ensure that I help others feel this way more often.
Why Letting Others Be There for You Matters
For those of us who are used to being the ones who give, accepting help can feel like an imposition. But letting others support you is also a gift to them, if they genuinely want it. It gives them the chance to show up, contribute, and feel good about it too.
Most people enjoy getting to be “the giver” from time to time, and few people want to feel that they’re always on the receiving (or worst case, needy) end of the transaction.
Questions to Ask Yourself
The race left me asking myself a few questions. I invite you to ask them, too:
- Where else in life do I need to make a gesture to be there for someone else and cheer them on?
- Where do I need to let others have the opportunity to be there for me in ways that make them feel good, not just in service to me?
- Where do I need to remember to explicitly welcome others?
- Who do I need to thank, for efforts large and small?
- What little things am I grateful for?
My list of little things is long: the perfect weather, a programmable coffee pot that let me wake up to a ready-to-go cup of fresh, hot coffee well before the sunrise, a great relationship with my family, and the chance to share information with all of you about the Larc School.
Who knows? Someone out there might discover it’s just the resource a loved one has been looking for.
So, who’s in your cheering section? Or for that matter, who wants to be in it, if only you’d let them? Whose cheering section are you — or should you be — in?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cooper Norcross 10K Bridge Run? A 10K that starts in Camden, NJ, with a 3-mile loop across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge into Philadelphia and back, followed by 3.2 miles through Camden. I run it each year in support of the Lark School community.
What is the Larc School? A school community serving people, especially children, with significant special needs.
Why is it hard for leaders to accept help? Many leaders see themselves as the ones who give support, not receive it, and worry that asking is an imposition. In reality, inviting others in builds connection and lets them contribute in ways that feel good to them.
How can I practice gratitude as a leader? Thank people explicitly and specifically, for efforts large and small. Welcome people intentionally. And notice the little things that make a good day possible.
