GOING OUT STRONG

Choosing that time; and they come to us here and there; when you purpose to go out strong even when you know that everything is not perfect.  ‘Never-the-less, seeing the glory and the danger alike’, you head out to place yourself in the balance of running distance one more time.

On any given day we will have a litany of “slights” to confront the reality of every starting point.  It could be an ache here, or a pain there, even the question of an old injury or the possibility of something new hiding just beneath the surface of our love.  Expectantly so, our adjustments forward into something for ourselves better and stronger do come with discomfort and danger.

It is in this reality we must hold to our own guiding vision.  What have we desired our distance running expression to be?  It is this dream (if you want to call it this) which will provide guiding strength to lead our distance efforts.  The realities of our immediate condition (some aches, some pains and discomfort) cannot be allowed to lead our ambition.  Vision is our leading force every time out!

Also… laying ourselves out on top of doubts and discomfort… waiting many times to see if they will melt away … happens with our belief.  It is our vision leading our realities which provides a foundation to our faith.  Faith gives us the expectation to begin moving forward one more time.  We “believe” as a result of our vision, and with prudent respect to our limitations, we dance forward.

Then… somewhere in this balance wisdom drifts into clarity.  It is wisdom which provides a safety line of restraint moving forward.  Do not choose too much ~ do not accept too little.  We choose to believe in our vision before the common realities… we accept the truth of our frailty and adjust for resilience… what a fine balance we keep!

With the reality faced each time forward… looking at the glory and danger alike… there remains one thing left for us to do: TAKE ACTION!  Confidence on moving forward does join hands with these factors… understanding our present reality, embracing our vision, choosing our belief, appropriating wisdom and then employing the action!  WE CAN! 

APPROPRIATING ADVERSITY

Adversity always promises to visit our distance running efforts.  One might well say that we have a portion of adversity which indeed is our destiny.  With this truth, if we are going to move forward with the happiness and with the satisfaction we need, we need to learn daily how to actually appropriate the adversity which promises to arise.  Therefore, accepting the realities of differing adversity is the beginning point to appropriating them successfully.  When adversity is resisted and not accepted as natural and normal, confusion and stagnation follow close behind.  Unfortunately, inactive people have usually succumbed to resisting the natural reality of discomfort and adversity.   

Adversity in our running (ever so regular!) is not something to resist and hide from... but rather to appropriate.  Once we find the right “place” for the adversity that comes; once we find a way to embrace the pain and discomfort (NOT natural!); adversity will simply be something appropriated, accepted and handled.  Adversity does not need to be something we shrink and frown about.  Discomfort is as natural as the land we run… as regular as the air we breathe!

The question now remains, “How do we appropriate adversity when pressed, when crushed and when facing adversity’s despair?”  We have to admit that adversity does have its effect on the emotions and our Will providing every opportunity to quit to release ourselves from it.  However, finding a way to release the body from pain and discomfort does nothing to relieve our quest for accomplishment.  The latter is usually worth a very, very great deal.  Therefore appropriating adversity will provide many opportunities to be deceived into thinking there is some easy way out in stopping or quitting. {Here it is important to consider the real limitations from serious physiological injury which SHOULD be heeded; limitations in the body which very possibly could cripple or cause death.} 

Only through regular exposure and the opportunity to face pressure from discomfort, from the crushing of emotional wellness and even the despair of hope, can one possibly become strong ASIDE from adversity.  Being strong aside from adversity IS appropriating adversity!  The key is not about accepting adversity without limits, but rather finding the best ways to adapt and adjust to adversity’s reality. 

Hardship in distance running is something which belongs here.  Adversity should be accepted, expected and never be a surprise.  Its strength can be limited with intelligence and good planning.  We actually do have a place for adversity… we build strength for it and with it.  If adversity has a welcome place within us, we find more and more gracious ways to appropriate it.  With humility being adversity’s welcome, adversity looses the strength of its power over us.  Good running distance people!