by Kathy Ruff
My morning ride was a bit different on July 3 as I shared the trail with 204 runners who ran 4 miles or 15 kilometers as part of the Fifth Annual Race Street Run sponsored by Historic St. Mark’s-St. John’s Episcopal Church in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.
I really like watching others use and enjoy the trail of the old Switchback Railroad beds. What’s great is that everyone leaves nothing behind yet leaves with a piece of beauty and oneness with them.
One of my jobs for the day was to ride my bike behind the 4-mile runners to make sure they all get to the finish line. The pictures you see were part of those I took as I tried to stay a bit off the trail as the 15-k runners began to catch up and surpass those at the end of the 4-milers. Parts of the trail are a bit more narrow and rocky, making a bit more of a challenge with a bike trying to give way for the runners.
We were all one big family that day. One runner jokingly asked if he could buy my bike while another asked for a ride.
At the end of the two races, I have no doubt that, while not all the runners left with a medal, nearly all went on with their day uplifted from absorbing the energies of nature combined with a sense of accomplishment for completing something they set out to do.
