One of the many essentials during fun runs is the hydrating stations. These stations are strategically located at several points of the route. This is to ensure that the runners get hydrated. Some runners would normally wear hydrating belt. Hence, they don’t need to stop by the hydrating stations. Other runners are comfortable carrying a bottle of energy drink during the race. However, there are runners who prefer to stop by the hydrating stations and get hydrated while they rest a little before they go back to running.
After posting an entry today (Confessions of a...), a friend tagged me in his post. When I checked it, I saw this photo. >>>>>
I must admit, I could not believe my eyes. It was a terrible sight. I felt sad that the caption says it was taken during a fun run which main objective is to save Mother Earth. It's just ironic that some runners who joined in this event were among those who defeated the very purpose of it. Thus, I could not blame my friend when he showed repugnance on fun runs.
The photo shared by my friend was a wake-up call to me. Although I bring my own energy drink and conscientiously throw the empty bottle in a garbage bag after the run, I do not pay attention nor remind other runners to do the same. I am thinking a committee is assigned to clean up the the route after the race. My bad. I guess this is one important thing I miss out when joining fun runs. It is about time to be proactive in reminding my fellow runners to be more sensitive on this issue. Although I am aware that the organizers will not leave the place filthy, I believe it won't hurt if we are cautious in disposing our trash.
Moreover, it is but a prompt to the organizers to ensure that the participants of the race are well-informed on this matter. Constant prodding won’t hurt especially if the very aim of the race is to save the environment. In addition, it is also lesson that every runner must know by heart. We constantly talk about our contributions to the nature when we walk/run when going to market instead of using our cars. We brag about how we love communing with nature yet we contribute to its destruction. We claim we love the environment and yet our actions speak otherwise.
We join fun runs for several reasons: save Mother Earth, send poor children to school, help the victims of calamities, etc. Whatever our reasons are, one thing should be kept in our mind: running is a kind of sport that requires discipline. And when we say discipline, we are not only talking about the rigorous training but also the little things we do before, during, and after the race. It doesn’t hurt to place the empty bottles or plastic cups in a garbage bag. After all, the world is our playground. If there is anyone who should take care of it, it should be US, Runners.
