I’m hunched over a fence post. A wave of nausea has
enveloped me. I’m feeling light- headed and there is tingling all the way down
my arms into my fingers. Any moment I’ll
be starting my run.
Why am I going to run if I feel this way? I’m competing
in the Green Mountain Relay, a 200 mile team relay race in Vermont. It is Sunday afternoon, day 2 for the race. I
have already run 2 other legs since the race started early Saturday
morning. I am awaiting my teammate, who
will be arriving any moment to hand off to me so I can run the final leg. This
is a 5 ½ mile section of the course which begins with what appears to be the
mother of all hills.
Between driving and running, my team is constantly on the
go, leaving very few opportunities for sleep, or eating anything substantial. Whenever
there is an opportunity to sleep I find myself unable to because I am so wired. This hectic pace has taken its toll,
resulting in my current state, which is why I am now hunched over in the
exchange zone turning 50 shades of green due to nausea, dehydration, and low
energy. If on any other day I awoke
feeling this way I would have definitely skipped my run. I don’t have a choice today.
After much anticipation my teammate is spotted rounding
the bend and approaching the exchange zone. I get into position for the
handoff, having no idea what’s going to happen once I start running.
As I start my run I just focus on keeping my legs moving.
With each turn I look ahead only to see the hill continue upward. I seem to be running up a never ending hill
with the needle on E and no relief from the nausea. I continue on at whatever pace I can muster.
When I started my run my teammates drove ahead a couple
of miles to cheer me on. I am happy to
see them and I get a temporary boost. They tell me I am looking strong. I think
to myself, they are either lying or I should be nominated for an Oscar.
After taking turn after turn with no relief in sight a wonderful
thing happens. I round a bend and there is what appears to be the top of the
hill. This hill has been quite a tease, fooling me many times into thinking it
was finally over, only to round the corner and see it continue. But alas, this
is in fact the top of the hill, or should I say mountain.
As I reach the top
the road levels off before proceeding downhill. When this happens I feel a wave
of energy slowly consume my body and my nausea dissipate. I, figuratively speaking, do a 180. No longer
am I slugging away as if running with cement shoes, now I feel like I have
wings. I am setting a faster pace than I had done at any other time in the
entire race.
I spy a runner in
the distance approximately ¾ of a mile ahead of me. I am feeling stronger, can I catch him? I am
sure going to try. I keep my eyes
focused on the unsuspecting victim ahead of me, little does he know I am about
to strike. With each foot fall I feel my
feet getting lighter and lighter. Like one of those dreams where you are
running but your feet never hit the ground.
I continue running, gaining momentum, and finally pass this runner I've had in my sights. I
keep running strong with my pace never wavering. As I approach the finish my
entire team joins me and we run together all the way to the finish line. If I
had quit while climbing the hills I never would have been able to experience
this awesome feeling of exhilaration.
One of the things I like about running is that it is a
metaphor for life. You get out of it what you put in.Something I have
learned from these types of relay races is that no matter how run down, beat
up, and weary I feel, I can rally and do what needs to be done. And when I do I
always feel an intense sensation of strength and power unlike any I’ve felt
before.
Oftentimes life beats us down, draining our enthusiasm,
making it seem like whatever we are trying to accomplish just isn’t going to
happen. So we are tempted to succumb to its pressures and give up the hunt.
But if we keep on keepin’ on we grow stronger and
stronger, gaining momentum, making it harder and harder to be stopped. This
positively affects every aspect of life because it ultimately gives you the
feeling that you can handle any situation that comes your way.
One of my favorite motivational speeches comes to
mind. It’s a speech Rocky makes to his
son in the film Rocky Balboa. Here
is an excerpt;
Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all
sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how
tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or
nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s
about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take
and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!
Additionally, in the metaphor department, the road to
achieving anything worthwhile is an uphill climb. Just as a hill often gets steeper towards the
top, our obstacles become greater the closer we are to success. It’s as if the
universe is saying; “Show me how bad you want this!”
However, only by persevering up the hills (taking on
life’s obstacles) do we get to experience the rush of the downhills (the
rousing sensation of success). Experiencing
the peaks and valleys of life is an essential part of the human experience.
They are what make life a thrilling ride and a phenomenal adventure. Without
the challenges the successes aren’t as numerous or as rewarding.
