Gratification Comes In Many Forms

I was telling myself when I close to finishing my run that today's trail run at Leif Erikson (Forest Park) was probably one of my most ungratifying long runs.  First of all, I was tired from the get go.  Second, my Garmin lost the satellite signal at least four times which fouled up the distance (I was supposed to run 14 miles but ended up running 14.44 miles.)  Third, my Chi was totally whacked even though I was doing ChiRunning.  Fourth, I was frustrated how slow I was going even going downhill.  Ackk!  Today wasn't my day.

I was about less than half a mile to finish my run when I saw a guy and a lady (mid-20s) running in front me.  I caught up with them at the intersection of NW 23rd and Thurman waiting for the light to turn green.  When the light turned green, they started to move but the lady ropped her cellphone.  The guy told the lady that she dropped her cellphone but the lady wasn't paying attention.  Instead she was sort of walking backwards so I picked up her cellphone and gave it to the guy.  The lady was already sitting on the curb with her hands on her face telling her friend that she doesn't feel well.  I should have caught the green light but I didn't because I was convinced that she wasn't looking good.  The lady then start to fall and I wasn't quick enough to catch her but her head brushed on my hands that the impact wasn't that hard when she landed on the street.  Her friend was a little shocked and you can tell he doesn't know what to do.  I told the guy to elevate her feet and I rested her head on my lap.  I checked whether she was breathing, and she was, thank goodness!  I was amazed about how other people offered help.  One SUV driving by thew a bottled water towards us.  Another man stopped to offer help and he happense to be an EMT (another thank goodness!).  The EMT man checked her pulse and said her pulse was 90.  I don't know whether that was good or bad but the EMT man didn't seem alarm so I suppose it was good.  An ambulance was called amidst all of these.  We continued to elevate her feet and make sure she was breathing.  After a couple of minutes she regain consciousness and she was able to sit again.  I gave her the bottled water and another woman gave her a cookie.  Finally, the ambulance arrived!  Yay!  She was eating a cookie and sipping water by the time I left her.

After I finish my run and thought about the help I did for that lady, my being slow today had a purpose.  For what I thought was ungratifying run turned out to be my most gratifying runs.  It's true, gratification comes in many forms.