“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” – Fred DeVito
In March, I signed up for the Marine Corp Marathon when COVID was just beginning, convinced it would last a few weeks, a month at most. Each week passed and then the next. Like many businesses, we cleared out of our office and 85 staff have been working remote for almost seven months. As the weeks turned to months, more events and activities got canceled and it became clearer that the finish line of the pandemic was not in sight. We remained hopeful by summer this would pass, and it didn’t.
I began training for the marathon in early April with my first 10-mile run on April 19th. As spring slowly turned to summer, I remained hopeful that by October, the pandemic would be gone and “normal” life would resume. We would be flying to Washington DC to run with the Marines, passing monuments to the finish line, celebrating the finish the day before my birthday on October 26th. It’s the 45th anniversary of the marathon and it coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. This has been my dream marathon – proudly running along side – mostly behind, the courageous marines.
When the marathon was canceled in August, I decided to defer my registration to next year as well as sign up for the virtual marathon this year, running on my own locally like thousands of other runners are doing for all of the canceled running events. Training for the marathon has kept me focused on something I can control - my daily effort and attitude. It gave me certainty and discipline amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic.
I adjusted my training schedule to run the marathon a week early to try to avoid snow in Minnesota. Good theory. It snowed yesterday. When I saw the snow and rain forecast a week ago, I didn’t worry about it since the weather, like the pandemic, is not in my control. Tomorrow will be sunny and in the 30s - great running conditions.
In the past few weeks of tapering, I questioned my sanity for doing this and whether I’m ready. Normal feelings before a marathon. Tapering was hard because it requires rest rather than doing. At this point, the doing has been done. This is my fourth marathon so there’s some comfort in familiarity but as Heraclitus wisely said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”
When I approach the start line tomorrow, I know that the start line actually began on April 19th when I ran my first long run of many the past six months. I’ve done the work and now it’s time to show up and “take the test.”
Each time we set a goal and put in the work, we create new start lines that keep us moving to the finish lines that lead to new start lines. While we may feel at a standstill, especially now, we are making progress. We are not the same person who steps into the river. Neither the river or the person is ever the same.
If the pandemic or other outside circumstances are making you feel stuck, be assured, progress is happening even when we don’t see it. Keep moving on the daily journey, one step at a time. Two steps forward. One back. Delay and then leap.
For months, friends and family have run with me, encouraged me and are going to be at the finish line tomorrow to celebrate with me making the effort even sweeter. With rapt awareness, we realize that we are not and never have been alone on our collective journey.
As I look back at my running plan and see each day checked off, I know the work is complete and my mind is the most important muscle that I must flex each mile. While I may not be in Washington DC, I will be proud to enthusiastically shout as the Marines do – Oorah!