Sunday, August 28, 2011

The 10000m dash of the 13th IAAF World Championships and the spirit of community


  
This morning I watching the men’s 10,000 metre dash of the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea 2011.  We watched the athletes run with various paces and wondered about the strategy that goes through the runner’s minds on what lap to push yourself. What goes through your mind when you are on your last lap giving your all?  Great Britain runner, Mohammed Farah, was in the lead for the last two laps with the two Ethiopian competitors, Ibrahim Jeilan and Imane Merga, strides behind.  Then in the last lap, Ibrahim Jeilan, lengthened his strides and picked up his speed to win the race at 27:13:81. Click here for results.
   The two Ethiopian winners, 1st and 3rd, were celebrating together and ran with the proud red, yellow and green Ethiopian flag together around the track. The smiles and happiness in both men's eyes reminded me of the beautiful celebration as community, because of many, we are one.  If you had not watched the race you couldn't tell which of the Ethiopian athletes won 1st place, they shared extreme happiness as they were both winners.  There is pan-culture in the world that emphasizes the ‘me’ commonly found in Western countries that are focused on a capitalist-money dictating government that creates a culture surrounding those ideals.  But there are many people around the world, in and outside the ‘me’ capitalist systems that practice a culture of community.  The Ethiopian champions running a victory lap together was a beautiful physical representation of the culture of community support.  Instead of I am; We are.  We celebrate who we are because of each other!  I hope we continue to live in a world with these communal ideals.

  

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...