Hundreds of professional and amateur runners take part in the Chicago Marathon on a Sunday. Among them is the experienced and ambitious runner Sarah Bohan.
She is running this marathon not only for her own personal success, but also to raise money for the animal welfare organisation PAWS Chicago.
But the marathon takes a turn for the animal-loving woman that she certainly didn’t expect.
On the home straight
the marathon course is 42.195 kilometres long. What seems impossible to many people is almost a piece of cake for the sporty Sarah.
On this day, she is even on course to run her personal record time. She has almost made it, she is already close to the home straight.
But although she is focussed on running, she maintains her usual attentiveness. That’s when she notices a small furry creature out of the corner of her eye.
She is running near the left-hand pavement and is just crossing a small tunnel when she sees it: a tiny kitten crouching on the ground all alone.
Love of animals triumphs over ambition
What Sarah does now is absolutely exemplary.
She no longer thinks about running her best time or even reaching the finish line. Instead, she only thinks about the little kitten.
She stops running and carefully approaches the kitten. The little one seems to trust her and lets her take it in her arms without objection.
What follows is a sight that no one has ever seen before.
Sarah continues on her way towards her destination, but instead of running, she walks very slowly so as not to alarm the little cat.
She is no longer in a hurry to reach the marathon finish line. Her only goal is to save the kitten.
Another unexpected twist
It gets even better, because the surprises don’t stop on this Sunday.
Naturally, the spectators along the route become aware of the walking marathon runner with the kitten in her arms.
And suddenly a woman in the crowd calls out that she wants to adopt the little cat. She already has cats and can take the little one into her family.
Sarah stops again and goes to the woman. Finding a home for the stray kitten so quickly would be too good to be true.
But it is true. After a brief conversation, Sarah is sure that this woman is the right adoptive mum for the foundling.
So the little cat moves from one arm to the other and the woman lovingly welcomes her new flatmate.
Surprisingly, Sarah is now able to finish the marathon after all. The record time is no longer possible, but she doesn’t care.
She changed the world that day far more than by running a fast marathon.
Especially for the kitten, but also for all of us, because she has shown that saving an animal is more important than personal success.
Source: The Dodo
