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Posts from the ‘Marathon’ Category

Oct 28

Always Earned

This afternoon, I received the Marine Corp Marathon shirt and medal for finishing. This year was different, which is an understatement to describe 2020. I registered in March, trained all spring and summer and it was canceled in August.

I trained for months, so I decided to keep going through fall and run it in the Twin Cities in October. I ran it a week early to beat a possible October snow. Sure enough, it snowed the week after I ran it. I was grateful to run in 30 degree sunny weather rather than snow. I’ve taken the past week and a half off to rest up from over six months of training five days a week. I’m getting restless and thinking about the next goal line, the next long run.

I’m not one for medals, but this one is a special one to be sure. It marks an earned effort over months to run 26.2 miles and finish, even if I was not able to run it in Washington DC with the Marines.

This year has been marked by a tremendous amount of uncertainty and angst. And also along side of it, plenty of blessings and self-awareness, even joy if we chose to succumb.

No matter what happens after the election or where this pandemic will lead next, we are bigger, stronger and deeper than our circumstances. Keep rising while also allowing yourself to indulge in generous self-care.

No one knows what will happen next, but we do know the strength and resilience of the human spirit when set free.

Meaningful progress and outcomes – always earned. Hope and grace – always given.

Mar 27

Author

“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.” – Epictetus

Resolve to not be defined by this time but define it for yourself. Be the author of your own story. Write each act with intention and diligence. We are more than our circumstances and limitations that we put on ourselves, so very much more.

The pen is in your hand, the time is now and yours alone. Write this chapter and the next, so when the third act has arrived, you have defined and owned the life you have lived. Run the race, fight the good fight, remain in the game.

“No great thing is created suddenly.” – Epictetus

Sep 16

The 20 Miler

“Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best.” – Theodore Isaac Rubin

This weekend is the last “long” run – the 20 miler for those training for the Twin Cities Marathon in October. I saw some runners both days doing their long run. It was a hot and humid weekend.

I’m training for the 10 miler so only 7 miles yesterday. I may have a marathon or two left in me but not this year. Even training for the 10 mile run brings satisfaction from training and following a plan.

I remember the three marathons that I did and the 20 miler was the milestone. The culmination of months of work all leading up to the last big run before the really big run.  I was excited for those running it this weekend because I know the effort that goes in without a guarantee that you will finish 26. 2 miles even if you train for it. Anything can happen on marathon day. But the joy of the work of the effort comes to fruition two times. One on the 20 mile day and the next on marathon day. There’s little that meets that level of excitement and accomplishment of doing the work and winning the day with a finish.

We get so caught up in busy work each day, in meeting others’ unreasonable demands that we lose ourselves in the process. We lose our dreams and aspirations. But when we set out to do that goal, that mountain that we must climb on our own, there is something about it that makes it special.

What’s your dream, what’s on your bucket list? Do it. Let all of the daily busy go and go for what’s in your heart. Pursue it with vigor and delight. It makes us come alive again. To feel apart of life rather than merely getting by. Get going on your 20 miler.

Nov 4

5 Comments

Slices

“If you wait for the perfect moment when all is safe and assured, it may never arrive. Mountains will not be climbed, races won, or lasting happiness achieved.” – Maurice Chevalier

When we live life in slices, in moments, we value and honor each day. If we get stuck in the past replaying what’s happened again and again or in the future wishing or worrying of what’s to be, we miss the power that we have in this very moment to make different decisions, to find and be peace, to dream and do bigger, to push ourselves beyond the fray and excuses to attain our best selves.

“But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.” – Thomas Jefferson

“But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.” – Thomas Jefferson

Some moments are sweeter than others, but they all culminate to define who we are, where we are going, what’s most important and who we choose to be with on the journey. Someday is today with all of its imperfections and beauty. Slice into each moment, moving step by step into who you are meant to be.

Oct 6

8 Comments

Behind the Medal

“Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers, and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love.” – Therese of Lisieux

There’s so much more behind the engraved medal at the end of the marathon. Traveling as light as possible, I don’t carry my phone so I can’t capture the beautiful scenes on the journey. But each mile has pictures engraved in my memory.

“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” – Matsuo Basho

“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” – Matsuo Basho

At the start line, thousands of runners gather hopeful and excited, sprinkled with a bit of fear of what’s to come, but starting just the same. My first marathon with my brother John and both of our third marathons.

From start to finish, people gather along the streets clapping, jumping, cheering for strangers – scattering flowers. A mom stops to kiss her husband and kids who are beaming with pride in her feat. Dads and daughters running along side each other.

Mile 17, questions on my sanity sneak into my thoughts then shift quickly back to what I said to myself at mile one – how do you run a marathon? – one mile at a time, break it up. Mile 21, I can make it, take it all in, walk when you have to, keep going. Passing runners at the medical stations exhausted and injured reminds me that there are no guarantees. Anything can happen on marathon day. Everyone does not finish.

I don’t visualize the finish line as much as mile 24.5 where family and friends are gathered, standing for over five hours in 40 degrees cheering thousands of runners on and waiting patiently for me to finally show up. Scattering flowers.

Mile 23.5, my niece Emily runs up to greet me with a hug and smile and starts running me home. She ran her Dad to the finish and came back out for me. My left calf knots up and she stops to rub it out. Scattering flowers.

We approach 24.5 to my cheering crowd – hugs and hoots all around as if I’ve won the marathon. Emily continues on with me and Linda, who has an injured knee, joins us to run me to the finish. Just down the road, Jeanne is waving her arms, doing jumping jacks and joins my finishing pack. Scattering flowers.

The finish line. The medal. The journey that started four months ago and hundreds of miles is complete with the final 26.2. And each mile of the journey, I’ve never been alone. I’ve been gathering flowers.

Oct 2

9 Comments

Detours

“I have dreamed in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind.” – Emily Bronte

On my way to a meeting yesterday by my house, I knew the shortest route to get there. When the road was backed up, I changed my route even though it was a bit longer. As I drove down the altered path, I realized its familiarity.

All summer long, I ran this path for my marathon training many early Saturday mornings. And this morning’s detour shifted my worry about Sunday’s marathon to excitement and calm. Doubts suddenly overcome with ease in knowing that I did the work and the results will unfold as they are meant to.

This journey is complete. And what remains is getting to the start line, joining thousands of runners who share similar stories of set backs, personal records, injuries and fatigue from four months of training in the middle of life that’s filled with too many commitments, deadlines and distractions. And yet, they showed up, despite those voices of dissent.

The detours, wins, ties and losses are all part of our life, our path transforming us into who we already are. All of the altered paths lead us to what’s next and what’s right for us. Put down the map and take in the scenery. It’s a beautiful path, especially the detours.

Sep 13

5 Comments

Time and Distance

“Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” – Thomas Carlyle

As I was getting ready for my 20 mile run yesterday morning, I kept telling myself – time and distance, time and distance. It’s not about speed, but about running long enough to get the mileage in. I was apprehensive about my ankle and missing two long training runs over the past two weeks.

After the first 5 miles, I settled in, let go, listened to music and just ran. Nothing existing before or after, steeped in the flow of the movement, in the moment. When I hit 16 miles, I could feel the wear on my body but knew I would complete it. The last 4 miles were run by my heart.

After a long hot shower, gratefulness and contentment set in, something I was short on the past two weeks. My ankle demanded rest, my head argued that I would lose three months of training capacity if I took a break for however long it for my ankle to heal. Luckily with the encouragement of friends and family, the work of my chiropractor and massage therapist/friend  and rest, I finished.

Sometimes we need to rest. Sometimes we need to push through. Most times we need to do both. It’s the ebb and flow of life. And most of all, when we tire when we are so close to finishing, we need to let our mind rest and run with our heart that tells us we can do it, we have it in us, keep going.

Anything we pursue in life requires our whole person to be on the same team – our body, mind, heart and spirit. Our heart and spirit are fueled by faith. And often times our body and mind stray, leaving the heart and spirit to finish the job. And when we put the time in, we will go the distance.

“Time does not change us. It just unfolds us.” – Max Frisch

 

 

Aug 30

8 Comments

Patience Again

“Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures.” – Joseph Addison

This week, I have been arm-wrestling with patience. I strained my ankle last week and I’ m off on my training schedule. Not too far, but off plan just the same. Pretty minor in the overall scheme of things, but after three months of training, I’m frustrated with a side of self-pity and crabby.

It’s easy to be positive when the world is going our way. The real test is in pain and disappointment. And if we take our eyes off of ourselves long enough, we can receive the gifts that trials offer including a deeper level of empathy for others.

We’ll see how long it will take my pep talks to transform my attitude, but I’m going to keep trying until it clicks. And it’s really about how we go through our trials that show our real character.

Patience is called for once again. If it could only move a bit quicker and on my schedule. Still working on it, obviously.

Jun 23

6 Comments

The Human Spirit

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” – Wilma Rudolph

Another Grandma’s marathon, another first marathon to celebrate. This time it was my niece Emily’s turn and she did it! The first marathon is about finishing. It’s the “I think I can and I’m ready but I’ve never done it before” elusiveness.

Four to five months of training, commitment and hard work gets you to the start line. You learn the value of preparing your mind as much as your body as well as your spirit. All play an important role in getting to the finish line.

Many training runs by yourself convince you that you are alone in this effort. But when you get to marathon day, you soon realize through the support and encouragement of family, friends and complete strangers along the way that you are in no way alone in the endeavor, or in life for that matter. The cowbells, people yelling your name, the texts from family and friends checking in, the running by your side the last mile show how many people are cheering for and sharing in your success.

“The greatest achievement of the human spirit is to live up to one's opportunities and make the most of one's resources.” – Luc de Clapiers

“The greatest achievement of the human spirit is to live up to one’s opportunities and make the most of one’s resources.” – Luc de Clapiers

Whether it’s a marathon or another dream or goal, the meaning comes from the journey before ever getting to the start line. It’s the unfolding and freeing of the human spirit that deepens the meaning and calls us to seek more challenges and dreams. There are no short cuts – the secret is in the intersection of time, effort, focus, consistency, faith, optimism, persistence and determination.

Pick your “marathon” and go for it with your whole heart, mind and spirit. We all have longings that pull at us to go out into the world to give and be our best, beyond what we could ever imagine. We need only to take the first step and each that follows become second nature. Your human spirit is ready and waiting to take flight.

Jun 1

9 Comments

From I Think I Can to I Did It

“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.” – Golda Meir

We are three weeks out from Grandma’s Marathon, hence the 20 mile run. Last year, my brother ran his first marathon. This year, my niece Emily is running her first marathon. I am training for my third marathon in October, inspired by many who have gone before and encouraged by friends and family. Each of us can and are called to inspire, encourage and be encouraged by others.

Yesterday, I ran 13 miles of Emily’s 20 mile run, mostly behind her of course. It was in the low 80s most of the run. It was a hot one.  John and Tina followed along on the bike with water, Gatorade and a cow bell.  I remember my first marathon and am so excited for Emily to experience the fruition that comes from the seeds she’s planted, the work she’s done to get here.

“Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles.” – Alex Karras

“Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles.” – Alex Karras

While it’s an important part of the training plan, the 20 miler is more important mentally than physically. It give us the confidence and reminds us that all the work over the past three months will pay off and we have it in us to finish 26.2 miles. We’ve done the work, now enjoy the ride.

We often need to overcome our own definitions, limitations and perceptions of what’s possible, to believe in what we are made of and to act on it. Whether it’s a marathon or another dream that’s written on your heart, pursue it vigorously, put in the work and know that you have it in you to finish the race.

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