Finishing the race... hopefully the start towards a new horizon.
“Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.” -Steve Prefontaine
Two years ago today, my great escape came at New Mexico when I was hired by Nichols College. As many might recall, around that time I decided to play a little indoor soccer before leaving. What was supposed to be a final game of fun, ended a good run of fitness as I partially tore my Achilles tendon. It set me back as in my words at this time, “it is best shape I have been in a long time”.
I came home a month ago to detach. On my first morning back, with the music on my MP3 and reunited with the beach, I began a routine of running on the beach... I ran the first day in 21 minutes; It was a run that began with tears and ended with tears looking at the waves crashing on Brackley Beach. Tears of joy and relief to be home or just away from the mental cues of a “disturbing” situation, I am not sure.
This routine of running on the beach every day continued for the whole past month (except during my tapering stage this week). As the miles began to pile on, and the distance of the runs got longer and the time suddenly much shorter, my ultimate goal reappeared of a sub 20:00 5K re-appeared. Yesterday, entered in a local 5K race here on PEI, it was with much irony that an almost similar situation that motivated me into running 2 years ago has helped me seek detachment from it. Still far from my utlimate goal, the mental and physical benefits of running have been a reward in itself.
A week from my return to the United States, I am looking forward to the Fall semester and my continued efforts of "running for joy".
