Monday Musing, 1/28/19

Hello Apprentices--​

So I’m running my fourth half-marathon this coming Sunday. And this will be the first time that I’ll be able to actually RUN the whole thing. No walking breaks! And aiming to come in under two hours, that’s my only goal.

If you’d seen me take my first step of running training, oh, five years ago, you wouldn’t believe that two hours was anywhere near realistic.

The last few Sundays, I’ve been upping my “long run.” A few weeks ago I did 7 miles non-stop. The following week, 9. Two weeks ago, my door over the bridge around St. Armand’s and back… 10.06 miles. Without any walking. And still felt good! To the point that yesterday I ran what could only be described as “a nice, easy 6.” A NICE EASY 6?? That concept did not even exits five years ago.

​And thus, the first cookie. You are capable of more than you realize, and the story you tell yourself is almost never the entire story. Your “legs” are fine.
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I’ve talked a lot about discipline, especially the definition: “Discipline is simply remembering what you want.” Because once you have prioritized honestly, your choices and actions become utterly clear. Thus the second cookie. Yesterday that nice easy 6 was in sub-50 degree weather, in a light drizzle, on a morning where the strongest temptation in the world was pancakes and a blanket. But I laced up, Rebecca stuck in her ear buds, and we ran, drizzle be darned. And with every step, I was SO glad I had taken the first one. Cuz they just kept getting easier.

All that being said, listen to Michael Jordan. If I had made pancakes instead of pulling on my running pants and turning on my GPS watch, that wouldn’t have been the end of the world. Failure happens. When the thing we want is BIG, when we have prioritized something that upon first glance is EPIC, we will not always be able to resist the pull of pancakes. When that happens… when your chin is sticky with syrup and you’re in your sweat pants on the couch with bad TV on… listen to Michael Jordan. And next time… do a little better.

An ancillary… One of my playwriting students today just said the most terrific thing:  When you’re exhausted, consider a rest rather than giving up. It’s good for writing. It’s also good for pretty much any goal you set yourself.