People lined the streets.Cheerleaders. Grandparents. Local celebrities. Average Joes. Outfits ranging from Santa hats to rockstars. Some knew racers. Most didn’t. But you couldn’t tell who was who because they were all going crazy.

Photo Provided by Competitor Group: http://arizona.competitor.com/photos/

“You can do it! Come on! You’re doing great! Lookin’ good! Only a few more miles to go! You’re killing it!”

Outside of the goodness of God, the spectators were the biggest reason I finished the 26.2 mile trek.

People were high-five’n me and patting me on the back as I ran (err, passed) by. They yelled out my race number. Held signs that were mildly inappropriate but just as much encouraging. Passed out Cheez-Its and orange slices like they were feeding their own family. It was incredible.

The craziest thing about it all? They didn’t have to be there.

They wanted to be there. Normal, average, everyday human beings coming out to support normal, average, everyday human beings trying to accomplish an extraordinary feat. People rooting on others to achieve a dream. They weren’t their because the race was exciting. Trust me, I saw hundreds of people pass by me, and, to say the least, I was underwhelmed by that experience.

These people were a blessing. They didn’t know me. I didn’t know them. But they supported me like we were friends since gradeschool.

What if we encouraged others like that?

What if we kept extra snacks in our car to hand out to homeless people to encourage them when we saw them. What if we told a stranger in class that they were going to do great on a test to boost their confidence. What if we told a coworker they were going to knock it out of the park with their presentation?

We can all use a little encouragement. We’re all human. We all fall short. But when we band together, pick one another up, dust each other off, and dish out some uplifting remarks, anything is possible.