NICE HUMANS MARATHON
We are inspired by Nice Humans, who are athletes who work in something else, who make routine something extraordinary and who embrace crazy things like deciding one day to jump off the ground to cover distances. Dilken is going for 42 kilometers in the Medellín Marathon and shares with us his reflections on this sport that resembles, even if only for a few seconds, flying.
Discipline and motivation go hand in hand
“I liked sport from a very young age. Surely at that time it had a different meaning or representation than it does today. But I was certainly immersed in one way or another in physical activity.
However, being disciplined was not my greatest virtue. Today I can say that over the years this has become a fundamental part of my life. But at the same time it must be accompanied by a good dose of motivation.
Discipline and motivation are two pillars that allow me to reach my goals. The first has helped me build habits in the long term and the second is what gives me the energy to reach my goals.
The beauty of the pause
In addition to these two values that I carry with me in every step, I pay special attention to the pause. These are moments that we have probably all experienced and that help mark stages, leave traces, teach and awaken new questions. It is here where my love for running appeared. In those moments where the right people and places align, bringing with them the novelty of living and the curiosity that emerges. There, little by little, my love for a sport appeared that has become part of my present and that I want to keep for a long time.
Sport as life
Physical activity gives me life, it has become my philosophy, it allows me to be in the here and now, it is the way to interact with my fears and permanent challenges. Today it fills me with joy to hear that I can inspire others who, like me, seek to be a better version of ourselves. Even though I run with my legs, I carry my family and friends at home, who become the fuel and motivation that take me to the goal.
Running and life are so similar that they lead us along paths where emotions, learning and challenges make us grow and be grateful for everything we have experienced.
That is where happiness appears, in the middle of the street, after the battle with my aversion to early mornings. On the asphalt I can see the beauty of having health and life and that is where gratitude appears to God who gives me the gift of knowing places, people, landscapes and new kilometers.
The high slopes
Along the way, I also confess that I have had moments where I question myself, injuries have come that have forced me to pause, doubts and questions appear. It is my family and the love I have for them that grounds me to return to the center and move forward.
This has been a journey that has taught me the importance of taking things step by step, of living in the present, of going from 5km to 10, from 10 to 21 and from there to the legendary marathon.
Each one of those numbers is the reward for the early mornings, for leaving the night earlier than everyone else, for facing colds and aches, for continuing to run despite the worries and strains of routine, for going out onto the pavement with a broken heart, for being real, human.
Enjoy the journey
For this reason, today I want to invite you to enjoy your process, with the ups and downs that this entails, because I assure you that they will be rewarded with moments of happiness. Everything will be worth it when sport is part of your lifestyle and each kilometer will allow you to dream bigger and bigger.”