One thing I am realizing more and more lately is that runners are (for the most part) really scrappy people. It is really hard for a runner to quit. The reason for this is at about every mile during a race their can be the potential to quit. To drop out. To give up. To give in to the pain. It would be easier to stop moving your legs, crawl to a recovery tent, get your flip flops on and start drinking the beer. But most runners most of the time don't. Because you just can't. Even if the run is epically bad, you keep going. A finished dead last is always preferable to a did not finish. Of course I know this to be true first hand. November still haunts me. 13.1 miles is a great distance for a half but not for the full.
This past weekend I completed the Shamrock Half Marathon as a training run. I finished. Got a medal and a cool shirt and an awesome hat. This was a great day for me. A finish line is the prize for me - no matter how hard fought or how easily completed. I just need to get there. To get there though - you must put in the hard work. Every day. I saw a shirt at the race this weekend that said Run. Eat. Rest. Repeat. So true - you have to do the time to do the crime.
What if we all tried to do this in most of the important areas in our lives? Let's see if this formula applies to a marriage...Listen. Love. Forgive. Repeat. How about kids...Listen. Love. Discipline. Repeat. O.K. - seems to work so far. House cleaning? Dust. Vacuum. Dishes. Repeat.
One of my favorite theories of buddhism is that before enlightenment you chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment you chop wood, carry water. I love the idea of this because in my life as in most people's chaos rules. Disorganization, too much work, bills, health care, play dates, baseball practice, love life, sex life, clothes that don't fit, closets that are a mess, people that need help, etc. etc. etc. I would love to have the time to sit and meditate and explore this idea but I don't. And I actually have more time than most - I am just full up like the rest of us. I have this friend who recently completed her first half marathon. She put in the work but she said she didn't enjoy the training. That the training gets in the way of her life. Honey Bunny asked me if I felt that way today. Do I really want to change my life back to the way it was before I trained all the time. This stemmed from me not wanting to go to bed at the same time as little honey bunny. Last night I wanted to stay up and have a glass of wine and watch some TV. I didn't want to rest. The answer of course is no I don't want to change my life. I love training. I love how bad ass it makes me feel and I love that I can say I put in the work. I love trying to get better and improve my time. In many areas of my life I have not put in the time. This area I have. And I am proud of it.
So when I get overwhelmed and the haunting of November creeps up on me (and believe me it does, not just on a run but in my everyday life) I try to remember the simple things. I try to chop wood, carry water. I run, I eat, I rest, I repeat. Somehow, in the little things, the big picture becomes clear.
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