‘My Life Runneth Over’

Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt of “My Life Runneth Over,” written by George Schulze.

I have found the secret of a happy, healthy, fulfilled life. How did I achieve it?

On January 3, 1978, while reading a local newspaper, I read an ad about a special clinic to learn how to run safely and sensibly. My wife suggested we should go see what it was all about. At 7:00 am the following Sunday, we went to the Lihue Stadium. It amazed me to see a fairly large group of people of all ages milling about …

During the week I tried running several times, but my legs and feet ached severely. It was my running shoes; they were too hard. The next Sunday my wife and I went to the clinic again. Each person was asked to introduce themselves, and then choose a partner to run with…

I ran many times during the week and found it more enjoyable each time…

Everything looked much different than it ever did before. The sky was more colorful at sunrise, it seemed more beautiful with each following sunrise. The birds sang their songs very sweetly and the beauty and fragrance of the flowers filled the air. I was able to think very clearly to solve any problem while running. The enjoyment of running made me realize I would never quit running. My new interest in running made me more aware of the many miles being covered each day…

Every month there were fun runs; some competitive, others predicted time runs. A predicted time run is based on the time each runner predicts to how long it takes to run 10km (6.3 miles) …

As I continued to run, the times of my runs were improving, so I began thinking of running a marathon.

So now my training was toward being able to run a marathon and I trained accordingly. The first Kauai Marathon was scheduled for October 7th….

I could not train properly for the marathon so did not register to run in it.  The first Kauai Marathon was a complete success. The race started at 6:00 am, but I was up by 1:00 am working on the route, placing safety cones on the highway for the safety of the runners and placing direction signs to assist the runners which direction to turn on the marathon route.

The strain of completing the 26 miles, 385 yard marathon showed in most all faces…

These runners had smiles on their faces. Some shouted, some laughed as they stopped running. Seeing these emotions made me want to run a marathon more than ever….

I was so determined that I sent my letter with my $8 registration fee to Honolulu immediately for the marathon in December….

Only 9 days before the Honolulu Marathon, I was riding my Honda motorbike up Hardy Street, when an automobile came out of a side street. He didn’t see me at first, then when he did, he quickly slammed on his brakes. It happened too fast; I applied the brakes too late, WHAM! Slamming into the back bumper…

My leg was in a bent position under the motorbike and my leg hurt so severely I thought it was broken. Luckily the doctor found no fractures or bones broken….

Using crutches to get around was no easy task for a tall man. I was considering canceling running in the Honolulu Marathon but after two days I felt much better.

Putting crutches aside, I was able to walk normally. After several more days of recuperating, I decided not to cancel running in the marathon. I spent the rest of the week exercising. My wife and I went to Honolulu on December 8, 1978….

The next morning we went to Kapiolani Park to register. My wife and I boarded the first bus and rode to Aloha Tower, the starting point of the marathon.

A crowd of 7000+ runners were scampering about, getting registered; using bathrooms and lining up in their prospective time finish groups…

Waiting for the start, my thoughts turned to how my life had changed. I was healthy, happy and enjoying life. It made me think of, What is happiness?

To some, success is happiness, to others fortune and fame. To some its wealth, to some it’s health, it goes by many names. And high above the rest its love, close behind it Friendship too. Choose what you will, may God fulfill, your happiness for you.