Getting There Pole by Pole

 

I was in my late-twenties when I first began running … after giving birth to three boys in less than five years. So while I had a young, healthy body, it was tired. I began slowly … first going on long walks, then alternating running and walking from one telephone pole to the next. After doing that a few times, my screaming lungs made me wonder if I could ever do more.

photo © 2008 Thomas | more info (via: Wylio)

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Thankfully pole by pole … my lungs became stronger. Soon they allowed me to run the length of two poles … then three … then four …. Each step increased the stamina of both my lungs and my legs.

Trial and error helped me learn to know my body better. As I got stronger, walking seemed too slow and I wanted to burst out the door into a run. After a few failed runs, when wheezing and coughing forced me to walk home, I paused to hear what my body was saying. I read running magazines. I soon realized I was experiencing exercise-induced asthma … which happens from trying to run too fast too soon. My body needs a ten-minute walk to warm up first.

Warming up first, slowly increasing my runs and resting a few days if something was sore or hurt allowed me to have ten wonderful years of injury-free running. Running was my space, my quiet time, my therapy and so much more.

Now it’s a second season of running for me — with a body that’s been to hell and back. I now run with some additions … a titanium rod and screws. And I run with some subtractions … partial muscles, scar tissue, cut tendons and nerves.

As I began running pole-to-pole again … I had a whole new awareness of the strength and the weakness of my body. I had to listen to it. Carefully. Being considerate of my limits and yet pushing myself to do more than I assume I can.

Pushing can sound rough, but it’s not … it’s gentle. Or it should be. Too often we have the old “no pain, no gain” idea in our minds. You can push through soreness and tight muscles, but other than that the pain you need to push through is the pain between your ears. The excuses. The insecurities. The negative thoughts.

Physical pain is your body talking to you … it’s usually wise to listen to it. I didn’t want to listen to my body during a run last summer. Half-way through a race, I began feeling an annoying pain in my foot. I pretended it wasn’t there. The rest of me felt great and I wanted to finish that race! I pushed to the end and my ‘prize’ was a few weeks on crutches. Okay body, I respect you! I will listen when you ‘talk’ to me.

Now as I run, I listen. I assess. If I want to increase my time, pace and distance, I do it slowly. I rest. And then I gently push again. Slowly I have discovered my body can handle more than I think it can. I’m so glad I didn’t give up on running after the accident or my bruised foot last summer.

I wish I could move forward by leaps and bounds … in running and other area of life. But I’m becoming more and more convinced that it’s slow, steady progress that makes life happen. What do you know … the hare and turtle story has it right.

New Years was a month ago … I made some goals, a workout schedule and to eat healthy. I’m doing good with the workouts and have stayed on track with healthy eating most days. I’ve toned up some and lost some weight, but not as much as I thought I would.

How are you doing with your resolutions? It’s hard, isn’t it? Change is hard, slow, annoying … blah, blah, blah.

It’s also change! Change can be freaking good. You want 2011 to be different than 2010 … don’t you? Stop giving in to the pain between your ears! Research, learn, grow … find out what works for you and what doesn’t. Remember for the turtle to win … he did have to keep moving.

Even if you blew it big since New Years … why not try again? Today’s the perfect day to start over. Break your goal down into a pole-by-pole process and gently push yourself (you can survive from one pole to the next) You might be surprised at what you can do.

What areas of your life do you want to see changed? How’s what you’ve been doing working for you?