“Mountaintops and Valley”

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Mountaintops and Valleys.”

Describe a time when you quickly switched from feeling at the top of the world to sinking all the way down (or vice versa). Did you learn anything about yourself in the process?

The yearly July, fourth, five-kilometer fun run and walk is held early in the morning before 8:00 am. A portion of the route takes participants across a mile and a half bridge and the July heat and humidity of Southwest Florida was ever present, with water stations placed along the route.

I walk the route, and I usually take water on my return trip across the bridge. However, as I approached the last water station, I noticed walkers ahead of me leaning the four, five-gallon Igloo thermos containers on their sides, franticly attempting to get water into their cups.

Once my mind registered what was happening, my heart and my thirst for water went into a panic, knowing I had a mile and a half to the finish line. Participants ahead of me quickly became upset with not having water, leading to angry words being exchanged with the support staff.

Just before I arrived at the scene of an escalating verbal shouting match, a small pickup pulled in behind the support staff with five, five-gallon Igloo coolers filled with ice water to save the day.

After seeing the water in the back of the truck, I picked up my step, from the drudgery of a snails pace, believing I was going to finish without water along with a horrible finishing time. However, after consuming three, four-ounce cups of water, I forged ahead

I finished the walk, experiencing the valley of despair, only to rise above the mountaintop of joy, accelerating my speed to finish with my best time ever.

The Daily Post Prompt