9.34 miles
During the run and for the next 24 hours, there is one thing on my mind - elections in Belarus (the place where I was born while my father was stationed there).
Belarus has only ever had one president since Soviet Union fell apart, who has held the power since 1994. The man once dubbed "Europe's last dictator" is facing perhaps the biggest-ever challenge to his rule - from a young woman - a 37 year old woman, whose husband has been jailed for speaking up against the president and his ruling and injustice. She says she is standing "out of love" for her jailed husband, but she also embodies a thirst for change in society.
Finally!
The elections will be rigged tomorrow and everyone knows that. And she will most likely lose, but she has already "won" compared to many others who have attempted before...
She has been attracting ever-larger crowds across the country with her promise to free all political prisoners and conduct fair new elections within six months. Last week, she drew more than 60,000 people in Minsk, the largest number at a political rally in Belarus since the 1990s. Her being the candidate in the presidential elections... brings HOPE.
For the first time, in nearly 23 years (since I've left that country) I am proud that people are willing to see the change. It is not easy for a society to break free from decades of fear and repression. People need to work hard to overcome the fear. Fear is still rooted there. I still felt it when I was there last September. But you need to fight it every day to conquer the fear. And sometimes it takes a woman to bring out the best in the country...
Last night at dinner, Freddy and I jokingly said to each other: "If she wins tomorrow, we are moving back to Belarus :)"
During the run, I listened to Russian music, from my childhood and memories flooded... I started singing songs I haven't heard for probably 25-30 years (and yet I still remember all the words... after so many years)
The soul feels good and full of hope.
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