I haven't seen you in awhile, but thought I would come for a visit. It felt good to hang out here last year. I'm not exactly sure why I stopped coming, but I'm ready to kick off my shoes and stay longer now. This is the perfect place for me to sit down, relax and air it all out.
I ran that too-warm of a marathon in Chicago last October. In 3:57. It was the most exhilarating experience to know that I could run fast...for almost 4 hours. The best part? Crossing the finish line 8 minutes after my dear friend and immediately engaging in a disgustingly sweaty and tearful embrace because she made her goal to qualify for Boston. For the rest of my life, I'll never forget that intense connection we shared. I knew what it took for her to get there and I was so proud of her. I was also happy for myself. Near the end of our training, I was a true slacker. I never thought in a million years I could keep that pace. But, I had the mental focus I needed and I pushed it through to finish in my adjusted goal time of under 4 hours. THAT, my friends, is what keeps me going back to the pavement for more.
The mental toughness that's required for any distance goal is easily translated into my daily life. It's been a difficult ride here in JR land. And worse, I've made it difficult for those who mean the most to me. Sometimes I want to roll over like a possum. Maybe if I pretend it doesn't hurt, it won't. Not true. I believe though, in the long run (and during), my strong will and determined nature will prevail. Those arguably beautiful traits, along with the river of compassion I feel inside me like the mighty Mississippi, will push me through the trials that I face. It's going to be bumpy for a while, in all directions. Sometimes it looks like an old, dense, uphill trail, but I know I just have to put one foot in front of the other and remember to focus on the cadence of my breath. Time works it all out. The miles get easier with every step you force your body to take, even when you feel like rolling over.
These are the life lessons I continue to learn from running...
