One of the heads of a running group I am part of made a comment
that being a runner isn’t determined by your speed. He came up with a list of 52 words that
define a runner. Over the next year I plan on taking one word a week and taking
a closer look. I figured it would be
interesting to sort of follow suit but to see how these words apply to my life
and running.
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perseverance
[pur-suh-veer-uh ns]
noun
1. steady persistence in a course of
action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles,
or discouragement.
2. Theology. continuance in a state of grace to
the end, leading to eternal salvation.
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When it comes to my running, perseverance would definitely at
the top of the list. When I was younger
there was nothing more relaxing for me than running. But the idea of running anything more than ¼ of
a mile was just plain straight out stupid!
Then I joined the Army and for some strange reason they thought running
two miles was a good idea, I still wasn’t a fan of running distances. When I got out of the military I was told I
would never walk normally again due to an injury I had sustained while serving
in Iraq. For a few years I believed it,
I let the weight pack on and I was miserable.
One morning I woke up and decided enough was enough. I signed up for my first sprint distance
triathlon and 5k. I got hooked, I
started signing up for half marathons and even marathons. Well, my first marathon, wasn’t. My body reminded me that I am still injured,
I still have problems that will never heal and my body WILL make me
listen. I managed to complete five
marathons within a 365 day period. A few
years later my body went completely nuts, I couldn’t figure out what was going
on. After being poked and prodded and
x-rayed and MRI’d and so forth only to find out I had been blessed with an autoimmune
disorder (lupus), I later found out that autoimmune disorders to not travel
alone, I have since been diagnosed with fibro and RA (in addition to the injury that forced me out of the military). I can have an absolutely incredible run and
then not be able to walk for a month. Within
the past couple years I was confined to a wheelchair for over a month and it
was the medals on my walls that helped keep looking forward.
My current “running” pace is a good three to five minutes slower than
it was and my mileage is less than a quarter of what it was, but that is ok
because I know I will get there again.
Until I get to that point I will enjoy what I can do and know what I am
capable of.
Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.
–Swami Sivananda
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