Patience

Graded and Recorded!

This post is more than just about running; although, as I'm comming to find out, it could be very applicable to my new favorite past-time, running rediculously far.  You see, lately I've been struggling with the application of patience to my everyday life, as well as my athletic goals.  It hit me tonight as I was pounding through a stack of papers to grade (typical night when my wife is working her night shift).  Patience is something we all have to learn at some point and I for one place it high on the list of things that are not fun, right up there behind grading papers.  Furthermore, there is nothing rewarding about the process of learning patience; quite frankly, it sucks.  However, it appears that at the end of the process, there seems to be some kind of satisfaction.  It actually reminds me a lot of training at times, although I usually find training to be something enjoyable, there are of course moments where you ask yourself, "why am I doing this again?" 

Ultra runners know the importance of patience.  Push too hard early in your race and a big fat DNF is all you'll get at the finish line, if you even make it to the race.  I'm convinced that 99% of all running related injuries happen as a result in one form or another from lack of patience. 

Cyclists know that patience is also critical when competing at the highest levels of the sport.  "Go ahead, attack 2 miles into the race.  You can sit out front and burn yourself up while we sit back here in the peloton and sip Coke.  We'll even stop for a pee break, and still reel you in with miles to go before the finish and you'll be so tired we'll spit you off the back and leave you sucking wind all the way to the finish." (I'm pretty sure this happened to me early in my bike racing days.)

Aside from the above analogies, I have really been struggling to be in the moment.  It is all too easy to look around at the "Jones'" and wonder, "why can't I find the money to (fill in the blank)?"  There are numerous things that I find myself fancying, idolizing, and just plain lusting over (darn you bike shop!).  I can't even limit myself to things of monetary significance.  Of those things, there's that doctorate degree I'd maybe like to get someday, or maybe a business to own.  Heck, there's even a big part of me that wants to sign up for a 100 mile ultra run this year just because I know I could do it.  But then there's a burning question of "is this really the time to be worrying about that?"  After all, it is true that you are only young once, but this applies more to my kids than to myself.  I have found myself trying to remember daily that the moments I have with my two little ones are precious and limited, yet in spite of this, patience eludes me.  I remember once someone saying: "don't ever pray for patience, because God is good and he will deliver the circumstances under which we need to develop it."  I must have missed that point, and at some point prayed for this development of patience that I'm definitely needing at this point.  Funny though, my children have a head start on me... tonight's bedtime story, "Patience."  My 21 month old chose it.  Amazing how kids can bring out the best in us all.

Bedtime story and an award that will always top any race honor...