Running can be a very solitary act.

No matter how many people may be in a race with you, in the end it’s just you and the pounding of your feet on the pavement.

But for one woman who was in the midst of a marathon, when she began to struggle near the end, she found out that she wasn’t alone at all.

Courtney Rich of Utah, was running in the Salt Lake City marathon. But as she headed into Mile 24, she began to feel the one thing that she didn’t want to do: exhaustion. It began creeping up on her and then suddenly overtook her.

“I wanted them to see mom finish strong. Those are things I tell my kids as often as I can when things are hard or they’re playing in their own sports. ‘Just do your best and that best is going to be a little different every day,'” she said.

When Courtney Rich neared the finish line at the Revel Big Cottonwood Marathon, her daughter Avery showed her support and ran the last portion alongside her. Photo courtesy of Karla Carlston and Emilee Roberts

But at that moment, she knew she wasn’t going to be able to finish the race, she said. “When I can feel my legs slowing down and I think some of those tears were of  ‘shoot I’m going to disappoint my kids,'” Rich said.

“By mile 24 … I looked at my watch and that’s when I called my husband and was in tears,” she said.

(I was) just having a little pity party for myself for a minute.”

“Next thing I knew, my daughter ran out,” Rich recounted. “I kind of saw her out of the corner of my left eye and I realized it was Avery. I just put a huge smile on my face. I stuck out my hand, she grabbed it and all of a sudden, my legs that were hurting and the heaviness of my body just felt lighter and we just ran to the finish line hand in hand.”

Ten-year-old Avery never hesitated when she realized her mom needed help.

“I was thinking that I love my mom, I’m doing this for my mom and she needs it. So, I have to do this,” she said.

“(Mom) just smiled and finished the race off with her best friend,” Avery said. 

Rich, a baker who posts her creations on Instagram, shared the video on her account. It instantly went viral and has more than 1 million views.

The proud mom said Avery told her that did what she knew her mom needed at that moment. “That is absolutely Avery’s character. She sees people. She has compassion. She notices people and is aware of just feelings and needs,” Rich said.

“I was so happy and it just made my heart so full,” she added.

Courtney Rich and her husband Ryan are parents of two, a son named Westin and a daughter named Avery. Photo courtesy of Courtney Rich

Rich said she hopes that Avery can take from this, as well as others who have seen the video, and realize that even the smallest moment of kindness can have a huge impact.

“I said, Avery, ‘This is an incredible example of how one little thing that impacted one person in your life had a ripple effect and how it’s inspiring so many other people. So don’t ever brush aside the prompting or the inspiration to do a small act of kindness for someone because you just never know what impact that will have on people,'” Rich said.

For a look at Avery’s rush to her mom’s side, watch below.

Sources: Daily Mail | ABC