Help Me

Lord, Help me “run”
Another mile, just one more mile;
I'm tired of “runnin'” all alone.

Lord, Help me smile
Another smile, just one more smile;
You know I just can't make it on my own.

I never thought I needed help before;
I thought that I could get by - by myself.
Now I know I just can't take it any more.
With a humble heart, on bended knee,
I'm beggin' You, please, Help Me.

Come down from Your golden
throne to me, to lowly me;
I need to feel the touch of Your tender hand.

Remove the chains of darkness
Let me see, Lord let me see;
Just where I fit into your master plan.

Johnny Cash – Help Me – American V

I am starting to enjoy the marathons that allow me to dig into some of the history as to where the marathon takes place. This was very much the case for the Hatfield-McCoy Marathon held in the feud country of Williamson, WV and Pike County, KY. I won’t rehash the stories here since much is written about the country’s most famous family feud. Before I made the 550 mile drive to Williamson, I thought that I should at least learn a little bit about the area and the feud. It was quite fascinating but also very brutal and lasted for many years. I am sure those years of intense fear brought many in the families to ask, “Please, help me” or “help our family.”

I felt that this song captured not only how we marathoners cry out for help during the marathon but how the families of the Hatfields and McCoys cried out for help during this brutal period. I don’t mean to disrespect the feud and those that died by comparing it to a marathon but in many ways, the marathon is a feud between mind and body. In many ways we look to a higher power, whether it is in God, the Lord, some one else or ourselves to get us through a grueling 26.2 miles. We cry out, not only in the marathon but in our lives, “Please help me”. We can only get help and accept help if we ask and are willing to accept it.

Most of us think we can get by – by ourselves. We can’t - so we take one mile at a time, just one more mile. As tired as we are, we reach deeper – our body battles the mind, the mind is in conflict with the body. We are humbled by the marathon – humbled by life and on bended knee find the strength to carry on. This is the beauty of the marathon, the beauty of life – finding the strength, finding the power to go one more mile and seeing the finish line as a new starting line. Take a tender hand and let someone help you to the finish, like they are pulling you along. The chains of darkness are then removed and our eyes are opened just for the asking.

The Hatfield & McCoy marathon was challenging – over Black mountain, running alone much of the way (unless you asked for help!), the off-road trail, a swinging bridge, warmer temperatures and rolling hills. Just as in life - full of challenges. But if you ask for help, you shall receive and the journey and the finish line is much better than a DNF. None of us want a DNF in a marathon nor do we want one in life. Just ask.