The Long Road

A mindset that is essential right now

Photo by Shengpengpeng Cai on Unsplash

First let me start by saying that I have been running for about twenty years.

Have there been long gaps of non-running? Definitely.

There may be six months here and there that I just don't bother. Sometimes it’s because of a job situation, a new baby, an injury, or simply because I don’t feel like it.

Suffice to say, I will never break any records or run a five-minute mile. I'm lucky if I can do an eight-minute mile. And that's on a really good day.

To be honest, it really isn't about how fast I go or the calories I burn. It is something deeper.

It certainly has its benefits. Running helps keep me in shape. It helps me look good for my lovely spouse. 🫢

It also helps me keep a good attitude towards my kids.

Running causes an endorphin release, as you probably know. It helps me stay calm when I am trying to put out multiple fires being caused by a constant barrage of incoming complaints, requests, and breaking up of fights, among other things while trying to stay sane during this very trying moment in our history.

Running allows me to get centered; it reminds me that I am here, that I am one person, and that I can't fix everything all at once. The only thing that I need to concentrate on is my next breath. It slows down this world that feels like it’s spinning out of control.

Running allows me to be free of any burdens I might have. Free, at least for that brief moment. Another bonus is that nobody really knows where I am. I am the only person touching this pavement at this moment in time, and I will have been the only person to have touched that pavement at that moment in time for all eternity. Cheesy thought, I know.

It feels almost spiritual. There is certainly ritual to it. I breathe a certain number of times every few seconds. I take a certain number of steps in that same capsule of time.

I feel the burning from the lactic acid that is being released in my leg muscles as I try to push for another hundred yards. It's an attainable goal. It sets off the reward centers in my brain if I make it to that next crosswalk. It then encourages me to see if I can go just a little further.

It’s an internal commitment to myself that is so basic. I see how far I can go. Then I see if I can go a little farther.

Anytime I run, I never finish it and say, “Man, I wish I didn’t do that.” I always feel better afterward. No matter what is going on, running helps train me for life's more difficult moments. It trains me to see ahead, to see the goal, and not dwell in the moment for too long, which can cause me to despair.

Each stride gets me a little closer to my goal. When I start to feel too tired to go any further, I push myself to squeeze out just a few more steps.

During this time I think we all have to push ourselves to do a little bit more. We need to keep going even if we feel like we are too tired. This time in history will define us. It will define what is put in the history books.

Are we going to keep running for that finish line? Or are we going to let that goal remain in the distance? We are building stronger every day. Our endurance and strength continue to grow bit by bit.

To use a cliche, this is a marathon, not a sprint. But in my heart of hearts I think we will eventually cross that finish line.

We are strong.

We are united.

We are a team that represents the best of humanity, and we come from ALL walks (or runs in this story) of life.

No matter how flawed we are. No matter what our race, gender, ideology, ability, age, size, or strength, we are here for this moment in history. Our outward appearance is not who we are; it is all about what is between our ears. It’s about empathy, sympathy, care, charity, and love.

Thanks for reading.

I love you all.

Erik

(Liberaldad)