This morning's 6.2 put me over 400 miles for calendar year 2007. It seems like a lot to me--almost like running from my house to Chicago. Only in one other year have I run more--2005, when I ran 414 for the entire year (another milestone I should break through later this week). For my entire adult life I have logged my runs for every year where I ran more than a nominal amount. Some would call that obsessive, but not me.
I like metrics. I like to know how far, how much, and how fast. Not for comparison with anyone else, but just to know. Perhaps I want to do better than I did before--to go farther, to go faster, to do more. Perhaps I just like keeping score and in running there are not a lot of opportunities to keep score. I suppose that sometimes this quality can be a strength and sometimes it is a weakness.
But I don't always have to win anymore. Maybe I am growing up, but winning isn't everything. For example, when I run the half marathon with my brother, the joy will be in doing the run with him, not in some spectacular time or finishing ahead of him. To finish together is my goal and will be a wonderful celebration to me. (Of course, if he takes off at a sprint just before the finish, all bets are off. I am still me.)
The Persistent Journey -- toward authentic living in an inauthentic world
1 comment:
Hey! I promise that if you slow down enough to keep back with me, I'll slow down & let you cross first! :)
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