Ran this morning. Kept running, up the slope of Mauna Kea toward the upper north east point of the island of Hawaii. As I was running under the shadow of the mountain I was reflecting on the current distress the people of the area are having with the construction of a scientific research facility on the sacred grounds at the top of the volcano. I was pondering what I could do to raise money, drive awareness to help the mountain. I almost was willing to stop everything I was doing and start a ultra-running event dedicated to helping defend the sanctity of the mountain. What? Was this mountain influencing me in some way? I burned 10 miles thinking about it, strange.
At any rate, as I got part of the way through my run I came to nice turn off to a resort called the Mauna Kea, and there I got a sense that something mystical was going on. I did indeed find the end of the rainbow!
Probably the reason that I have come to love running, the cool things that happen along the way. I kept running and got to a nice place, where I spent some time reflecting. I found a Hindu statue surrounded by a peaceful location. I decided to ask that presence for guidance and safety on my journey back. Then as I was walking along the beach, I found a shrine to dedicated to the god responsible for keeping turtles healthy. I spent a moment there as well, just to cover my bases.
The view was amazing and worth the run to get there. I was grateful to have a moment to myself to contemplate, meditate and think of greater things.
I could not delay any further, it was time to head back. At first I was doing great, then I ran out of water, it got really hot and the sun was beating down on me. I kept going and at some point I was praying to any god that I thought would listen for a bottle of water. I thought, perhaps I should ask this volcano god, Mauna Kea for another divine favor. Just as soon as I did, I ran into Justin! He was also holding out a bottle of water! On the side of the road in the middle of nowhere!
My prayers answered, I finished my run. I had to deal with the fact that there might actually be some truth to this god in the form of this volcano called the Mauna Kea. However, I said a prayer of gratitude to my Christian God just to be on the safe side. Fully hydrated and back at the place I was staying, I reflected that this is why I love running now.
Guy Reams
