The Uznam Marathon

It’s today. From 10.30 am until… we’ll see.
Yesterday the priests participating in the training left to get on time to their parishes. They looked happy. I was very satisfied. It was a very good time and it looks promising for the future of the Programmes. You’ll probably meet some of them at the next Programme 1.

I had some time for myself to prepare for the marathon tomorrow. When I looked for an intention, I thought about the suggestion of Pope Francis I – for peace in Syria. It will certainly be a good opportunity to fast but also for a concrete effort. This marathon is good for it as it is a joint initiative of Poles and Germans – who used to be enemies but now are neighbours who get to know each other. We will run side by side, in the spirit of fair competition. Until the end you run the marathon as friends in a common effort and only at the very end there is fight for who comes first.

As always before a start (iit sounds so serious! But it’s the fourth one in my life) there are many fears: if I will manage, if I will come a bit more early than the last time, if I will have an injury, how I will feel during the last kilometres. This one is technically difficult – a lot of hills and uneven surface. I know I have been training as much as my crazy schedule allowed but I feel it has not been really sufficient. I have run for almost 520 km altogether , left for trainings about 60 times and spent almost 60 hours training. Is it much or little? In the rain, in the heat, in the cold. Usually early in the morning, on my own or in a bigger group. It is certainly a good training of persistence. Today I celebrate. I wanted to run in a group but they didn’t come, so I am alone. Well, not quite, I run always with my Guardian Angel. If your Angels wanted to join even for a few kilometres, it will be more fun.

See you after the marathon. Defeat or victory:)
Father Jarosław