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20,000 people from around the world (an incredible leap in growth, considering
the first marathon brought a crowd of 6,000 runners). A few days after Purim, festivity was still in the air with runners turning up in superhero costumes and clown wigs.
or a 10 km. run. I was signed up, along with my husband, older daughter and
younger son, for the 10 km. run.
our way to the starting line. The atmosphere was festive with clowns, jugglers
and wacky cartoon characters parading on stilts. A disc jockey belted out encouragement in a
feverish pitch while music thumped from speakers. The end result? A pumped crowd of runners who
were mingling, stretching, and, if you were me, spending a half hour in line at
one of four johnny on the spots that served tens of thousands. Hmmm…poor
planning? While standing in line,
fiercely guarding my spot, I heard a lot of English and hardly a word of
Hebrew.
times. Since my optimistic husband was in charge of signing us up, he placed us
in the ‘B’ group, which meant we felt we would finish the 10-km run in less
than an hour. Less than one hour? I was surely in the ‘C’ or ‘D’ categories.
Was there a ‘Z’ option?
Heralded by brash music, the race began. We were such a largegroup, we started out at a crawl that turned into a speed walk. I was thankful
for this as I often feel that my jogging is more akin to shuffling.
displaying the wide avenues of this magnificent city. We ran towards the old
city walls, and across ancient cobblestones that have been polished by pounding
feet for millennia. We ran right through the Jaffa gate near the shuk. I leaned
my hand across the shiny old walls, feeling such gratitude; I had the physical ability to run as well as
the incredible opportunity to be in this holy, ancient and vibrant city. My
daughter, who was running with a large group who had fund-raised for a charity,
later told me she cried when she entered the city gates.
wristbands. I ran past young men pushing disabled children in wheelchairs. I ran up and up and up those twisting
Jerusalem hills and then flew down, receiving encouragement every step of the
way. People lined the streets offering high fives, they leaned over balconies,
called out from bicycles and looked up from newspapers in outdoor cafes.
sure where their shepherd was, but they saw a crowd and since they are sheep,
they instinctively joined us, refusing to leave the stampede. I ran behind them
for a while, laughing aloud and watching the grins on people’s faces as they
saw them. Only in Jerusalem. Where were the camels?
people entered into a quiet solitude, focusing on their stamina internally. The
pounding of feet and beating of hearts kept me going. And on we ran until the
finish line. I waited at there to watch others runners end, feeling their glee
each time someone new crossed the line.
race:
marathon.
most natural thing,” he explained.
birthday. He could not be missed as he was running in a pink cape with a brown
teddy bear tied behind.
runners used this race as an opportunity to run away from their country, disappearing
in the crowds never to be seen again.
in last. The “Determination and Perseverance Cup went to a 19-year-old soldier
who finished in six and a half hours.
who looked tired or challenged, ensuring they made it to the end.
He ran back and forth over and over again, offering encouragement and bringing a hopeful grin to each
person’s face.
or fashion, rather it was about achieving personal best in one of the world’s
most spiritual places.
Here’s a youtube video we made to capture the energy of this race.
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