Are you ready, you’re it
A possibility for living
Yesterday I ran for a full 20 minutes, not at speed, more a slow jog but it was a milestone, and I was so proud of myself. I did not just head out the door and run though, I have been following an NHS app called Couch to 5 K, which says that if you follow the program for 9 weeks you will be able to run for 5 kilometers. I am at week 5, day 3. Five weeks ago, that result would have been unimaginable. From memory, I ran 90 seconds and walked for 3 minutes the very first time.
As I was heading home it got me thinking about accomplishment and the opportunity to follow a structure to get results in life. I love the idea of being a runner, and I appreciate that slow jogging does not make me a runner but when I was a kid, running was the most natural thing in the world, right up there beside walking.
I can still see myself running around our large backyard, playing tag with my brothers. When you are young that is an easy game to play as it only has one rule, when you’re tagged, you’re it and then, you have to tag another person and you do it over and over again. It wasn’t so much fun when you were ‘it’ for longer than you cared to be but weaving, dodging, and chasing were all part of the game. Over the years the running slowed down and when I developed asthma at 12 years old, running was not fun anymore. I would run home from school, but the shortness of breath would pull me up and I would be still puffing by the time I reached the kitchen door. That was a long time ago.
More recently, a friend in the UK told me about her experience with the app, and as a most unlikely runner, she is enjoying running and getting out in the winter months to run her 5kms. I downloaded the app and the next day I was ready to run. I am already out walking to get 10,000 steps in by 8 or 9am, with a bigger 13.5km walk once a week, so I figure my legs were stronger than before, so there I was in the dark at 6.15am and I am listening to Michael Johnson (there are four or five personalities to choose from) and I chose Michael. I had heard him commentating on the Olympics back in 2012, and I thought having him tell me to run was the closest to having my own Olympic coach and frankly if this were going to work it would take something big.
I started and I followed the structure. Program one day, rest the next, although in my case I was not running but I was still out walking getting those kilometers in, week 1, week, 2, week 3, week 4, week 5 and there I was running continuously for 20 minutes. I am not writing this as a review for the app although it does perhaps seem that way but rather to share about the sense of accomplishment of taking one action, then another, and another and slowly building up strength or knowledge or ability. I have more weeks to go to get to 5kms and I do not know what that will take but I have resolved to keep running repeatedly until I meet the next milestone or level on the app. I am so excited about being able to run 5kms. It is like my walking, I now know I can walk 13.5 km in one walk and I have now accomplished it twice in one week but there’s not much left in the tank afterwards, so I will need to build up my strength to get to 15kms. A personal trainer I listened to recently said if you cannot get to the gym, just start walking and that’s what I am doing. I am just walking, heading out every day building up my capacity for distance and growing my tolerance to go out in any weather. That is a huge achievement for me, right there, just to go out when it is raining or really cold. But little by little, bit by bit I am getting there. I feel pride in myself. I see the sun come up, I feel the morning freshness on my skin and mostly I experience the world when it is at its most quiet. Now I notice I am finishing other things that I’ve started. I am creating structures for other accomplishments, one success no matter how small, definitely leads to wanting to experience more success.
I’ve experienced failure and disappointment to the extent that the failure felt overwhelming. I didn’t think I could start another thing because the disappointment of failing at something that really mattered to me, opened a door where all the other ‘I’m not good enough’ were waiting to flood my being, coming at a time when my health was challenged, and my relationship was disintegrating. I was not sure I had the stamina to come back but in time I did. I fought for my survival and for my relationship, I let go of the disappointment and in the miracle of living I discovered I had recovered from the past and I had a way forward one step at a time. Each time I meet a small goal, I am building my ability to move on, one movement at a time. Yesterday, on the hill to home, I realized we all need goals, small goals that say yes, you did it and small goals that produce a sense of accomplishment, like going from 90 seconds to twenty minutes, or getting your gym clothes out to putting them on, or losing 500 grams or writing a letter, or an essay and allowing yourself moments of pride, and of telling yourself out loud, you did great.
Whenever we take a risk on anything, we may likely be disappointed but that should never stop us from setting out and trying something new and be sure to add some variety along the way to keep your brain interested. Discover what you love, one step at a time and as Michael Johnson says, ‘are you ready, 3,2,1 and go’.
