If I haven’t mentioned it before, I run, like full marathons, or at least I try. I love running, it’s my therapy. Headphones in and everything that is going on just disappears. So last fall I got the bright idea to run one more marathon before my birthday at the end of May. It was to be my 10th marathon before turning 50. All signed up for the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati and was really looking forward to it. Several things kept me from training properly and as the race got closer it became very clear that this might just not be possible. Paul kept encouraging me to keep going, that I could do it, but the miles just weren’t there. I was barely able to get to 14. My fears ranged from being dead last, to permanent injury, to the worst thing…..having to quit and hitch a ride to the finish line in a medic cart. You don’t get a medal if you don’t finish and I love the medals. Struggling with my pride and what I thought others would think of me, I spent hours arguing with myself. I gave myself little pep talks but in the end I changed my registration to a half marathon. There was a deadline to do this, there are people organizing this event that need to know who is doing what. So at zero hour I logged on and down graded. My pride is slightly injured but I also feel at peace that I made the right decision. We have plans to check out the sights after the run and I want to feel good enough to enjoy that. Plus, I have a lot of years left…..I can still get another marathon. The point of this little story is that setbacks happen, maybe it’s as simple as a marathon but it could be as big as loss of business or having to put your education on hold. It’s how you handle it that matters, take a breath, think it through and pivot. And in the wise word of Mike Simmons, don’t beat up on Laurel.
