Many times, people use the expression “In it for the long run”! By definition, it means “over a relatively long or extended length of time in the future”. OK…my meaning: it takes time for something good to come about. We need to learn to be patient. Everything does not happen all at once. Whether in a relationship (Sarah and I will celebrate #31 in October!), or with goals, or training. That is truly the epitome of the marathon. It is a challenge every time, and takes work, and it is a lengthy process. We are doing “the long run” to achieve our goals “in the long run”.
We just ran 16 miles yesterday as our long run for the week as we get ready for the Fargo Marathon at the end of September. We are working our way up each week, until we get to 20 miles. It is work, both mentally and physically. What is great about our run club is we are helping each other get to that marathon goal, because we know that it is easier to get there with help from others, and the challenge then is not so daunting “in the long run”.
The Watertown Area Running Club has been a group of dedicated runners that love to help each other out during those training sessions. Our running family does what it needs to do to help someone achieve their goal. It has always been that way, and I don’t see anything changing in regards to this over the future. We are all truly “in it for the long run”. The marathon is the final day, the final moment when all that training and work you did now comes to finality. The marathon is easy compared to the months of work you did getting ready for it. We truly can say we made it “in the long run”. Our goal to help each other is just as important as the goal of actually running a marathon. After all, we are distance runners. We are truly “in it for the long run” in more ways than one.
This goes for everybody else as well. Don’t give up on yourself. Our biggest limitation is the space between our ears, not physical limitations. If we have the right mind set, we are capable of doing so much more than we ever thought possible, and “in the long run”, we will get there!
So going forward, have no regrets. Be “in it for the long run”. I have said for years that anything worth having takes time to achieve. It does not just happen. You have to work for it. When you do work for it, then it means so much more when those moments happen. And then when you look back, you will find out that the journey along the way was more fun than the actual moment you were trying to achieve. Be “in it for the long run”, and you won’t have any regrets. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day on New Streak: #861
