Thoughts on the Run

50:00 – 4.7 miles

Everyone takes change and unexpected news differently. Many relate an announcement to an experience they previously had that leads them to the type of reaction they have. This can include anger, sadness, hopelessness, and loss of control. Some will wait for more information or concrete decisions on how it impacts them. It gets challenging when you don’t know if more information is coming.

I take unexpected news a little differently then most. Over the past 3 years of running, I’ve been quite a bit of surprises. My first marathon I followed a training plan for 4 months, gave up beer, and watched what I ate. 3 days before the big race, I got the worst stomach bug I’ve ever had. I’ll spare you the details, but I probably lost 5 pounds in 24 hours. So at the 3am I woke up and went to the starting line of my first marathon. All I wanted to do was get to the finish line in under the cutoff … and I did. Along the way, I met some amazing people and have been hooked ever since.

Now the easy thing would have been to call in sick. Just saw no it’s too hard and I don’t feel well. Guess what? There are people around the world that have to fight everyday just to get food. A little stomach bug was not going to stop me from completing a goal. It was the first time I realized that what I thought was a personal limit was just my body not knowing I could do more.

Ever since then, I’ve approached change and challenges with the same mentality. Take in the info and roll with it. Understand what the obvious options are, then think about creative options. Put some effort in. It is amazing what people can achieve when they slow down and really put in some effort.

Now, I said roll with it, not lay down and take it. Quite often the line gets blurred between those two concepts. In fact, the perception of rolling with it can be viewed as not caring. That’s a tough one because I think we’ve developed a culture and society where if you’re not moving at lightspeed then you must not be interested. It may send the message that you really don’t care what happens. Actually, you care so much that you don’t want to just react, but want to take effective action.

Last month I ran my 8th marathon. I was handed a dose of surprise at mile 12 that included nausea. I wasn’t worried about the stomach so much as the fact I had another 14 miles to go. I knew that I would make it to the finish line and accepted it would not be even close to a record day. With that acceptance, I chose to invent new goals on the fly. Just as in life, our patience gets tested, but we get to choose how to react to it.