Marathon Life

The other day, I was reading something written by a marathon runner.  She stated that she felt she could do anything, because she has run marathons. 

I’ve completed marathons.  By completed, I don’t mean I gave any Kenyans a run for their money.  I simply mean I set a goal, spent months in training (with its various ups and downs), and crossed a finish line.  I’ve done this a few times, and though I wish I could say I became fast (or even “not slow”), I didn’t.  I did, however, learn some serious life lessons through the process of setting that goal and achieving it. 

Life Lesson #1:  Even when it hurts, if you put one foot in front of the other, you’ll keep moving. 

You might not feel like moving, but you can and will keep moving.  If you fall down, get hurt, run out of breath, etc., you can stop.  You will stop.  But somewhere along the way, you will be fortunate enough to have a buddy or two to come alongside you, and stay there until you’re ready to pick up speed again.  Stopping isn’t fun, and you might not feel proud of it, but as long as you get going again, you’ll eventually make it.  The same thing is true in every day life.  As long as we keep moving forward and getting back up, things will eventually be okay.

Llfe Lesson #2:  The people you meet along the way and who stick by your side will touch you for the rest of your life.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about runners, it’s that we are real.  You can’t fake who you really are when you’re exhausted.  Thing is…exhaustion brings out some really interesting things about people.  You begin to learn crazy, amusing things about people the longer the distance you go together.  There are people I have trained with that hold a special place in my heart, and probably always will, even if our paths never cross again.  The same thing is true in life.  Those people who have come alongside me in my current marathon of life will have a special place in my heart absolutely forever. 

Life Lesson #3:  You have to problem-solve.

I imagine that most people who train for a marathon have moments when they consider giving up.  I know I sure did.  Sometimes, you feel like there’s nothing more left inside you.  You feel like it would be easier to just go lay down and give up.  These are the times when you look back and try to figure out how you got to that low place.  Was it from not eating properly?  Not hydrating?  Not getting enough rest?  Once you figure it out, you can give yourself what you need and then continue on with the mission.  I don’t know why I don’t always think to problem-solve like this in regular life, but I don’t.  When we’re feeling down, do we stop and ask ourselves if we’ve had enough sleep, or the right food, or time alone or with the ones we love?  I know in my life I’m not so quick to do this.

Life Lesson #4:  In the end, it’s worth it.

One year, I couldn’t decide between the Chicago Marathon and the Grand Rapids Marathon, so I decided to do both.   The problem was that they were only one week apart.  Most people thought I was crazy.  I actually thought I was a little crazy, too.  But something inside me wanted the challenge, and I knew that my slow pace and my run/walk strategy would mean my body wouldn’t take the same pounding as a crazy-fast runner’s body would.  Though I doubted myself at times, my gut told me it was possible, that everything would be okay.  When I crossed that finish line, my husband, kids, mother, and best childhood friend were there.  I cried.  I felt like I really conquered something.  Even better, I had people I loved surrounding me to help me celebrate.  I hope that when the challenges of this life are over, I can look back and think, “I did it.”  I can be proud for not running away from obstacles, but making plans to work around them.  And again… I want the people I love surrounding me to help me celebrate.