A run for a good cause: Veteran's day 15 km run experience

It was on a Saturday morning when I stumbled upon the Morgan hill Veteran’s day run event. I was casually browsing for running events in the bay area and found this one. Morgan hill was just about 30 minutes from my place. I had done a duathlon event here in March 2018. I recollected how beautiful it was. Besides it gave me an opportunity to meet war veterans and thank them for their services. Incidentally it was just a day before Veterans’ day (November 11). 

The online registrations had already closed so I mailed the organizers asking if I could come on race morning and register for the run. They replied in affirmative. 

Race morning: It was a cold and a foggy morning when I ventured out to Morgan hill on Sunday.  I reached Depot street at 7:45 am. After registering and collecting my bib, I stood there watching the organizers set up the venue. There were a couple of stalls where postcards of veterans were placed. I looked at them curiously and a volunteer asked me if I’d like to run for one of them. I looked at him quizzically not sure what he meant. 

“You can choose any one of these postcards with pictures of veterans, pin them on your back and run wearing them,” he explained. 

“Oh. Got it,” I replied. “Sure. I’d love to.”

“Which one would you like?”

I looked at each of the photos wondering what was the story behind each of them. I asked the volunteer and his response took me by surprise. 

“Most of them committed suicide. They were not more than 23-27 years old.”

I took a moment to process this. Suicide? Why? What? How? The questions swirled in my head like a tornado. 

“You see. During the war, they see a lot of things that affect them mentally. They suffer from PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder). The war changes you and you are no longer the same person. Unable to take all this, they end their lives.”

While I listened to all this, I couldn’t help thinking about a line from a book that I had recently. It was about the Kargil war and authored by an army officer’s wife. There was this particular line from a Colonel which stated that wars only bring misery. Thinking back to History, even the mighty emperor Ashoka felt nothing but misery after the Kalinga war and resorted to Buddhism. I only wish these young brave soldiers had resorted to spirituality instead, I thought. My heart instantly went out to their families. 

“How are their families coping?” I asked.

“Well they have begun to accept the situation and are getting on with their lives.”

I nodded. 

While pinning the war veteran’s photo on my t shirt, the volunteer took a picture and sent it to his mom. “She’ll be very happy to see this.”

Warm up run: In the meantime, more participants streamed in. Intrigued by the veterans’ story, some of them chose to pin photos on their t shirts and run with them.  It was around 8:00 am and my run commenced only at 9:30 am. I decided to run 5 km as a warm up run before the official 10 km run. I ran around the block, passing a few quaint cafes and trees exhibiting the beautiful fall colors.  It was an easy paced run which helped me think about the information that I had gathered earlier. 

What was the purpose of wars? Ultimately it leads to unhappiness and loss of lives. Who was the winner? Families lose their loved ones. Soldiers take their own lives after being subjected to horror. As humans, we are battling with our own demons? Isn’t that a war in a way? Do we need to fight other humans as well? 

With all these thoughts swarming in my head, I finally finished 5 km. 

The start line was swarming with participants including some War veterans. It was nice to go up to them, shake their hand and thank them for their services. Their faces and eyes looked worn out-clearly a reflection of what they would have seen and experienced in a war. They obliged when I asked to take a picture with them. What an honor it was to stand beside men who had served their country!

The actual run:The run took us to Depot street where we took a left to main street. I watched a lot of families running along with their children. It was gratifying to see people coming together for a good cause and running with their strollers. There was a slight incline as we took a turn on Dewitt avenue.  Volunteers were stationed at regular intervals directing us the route to ensure that we don’t lose our way. 

Taking a left on Spring avenue, I passed a row of houses.  They looked rather pretty with autumn leaves strewn on their lawns. Morgan hill was a beautiful neighborhood.  Around the 2-mile mark, I took a right which led to the Llagas Creek Trail.  The sun was already up and this sort of sunny weather was what Californians would term as ‘the perfect weather. 

Personally, I preferred a cloudy day but I guess a dose of Vitamin D wouldn’t hurt.  Considering I went through bouts of low last fall and winter, I was ready to embrace sunshine this year even if it was at the expense of reducing my running speed. 

I ran all the way up to the turnaround point and passed a football field. A lot of noise emanated from the lush green fields that was typical of a football game.  I passed the noise before I ventured into the quietness of the creek trail. Passing the quaint row of houses again, I stopped at the aid station to pour water on my head. Thanking the volunteers, I ran ahead and did not stop until I embraced the finish line.  

The Finish: Receiving the beautiful medal which read Morgan Hill veteran’s day run was the icing on the cake.  It was good to munch on peanut butter sandwich post the run. Before I left, I went to volunteer’s station to return the photograph. 

“Oh, you can keep it,” he said. “Thank you for running. It really means a lot.”

I nodded and left. 

On the way home, I thought about how the volunteers expressed their gratitude towards runners for coming out on supporting a good cause.  This was the least we could do for war veterans-those souls who were prepared to sacrifice their lives for the country. I suppose we can never thank them enough. 

It was a Sunday well spent as I came back home not only with a finishers medal but a whole new perspective. That’s the beauty part of running or a triathlon for that matter. You never know what you can learn or when it can change you…