You ever hear the term “hitting the wall”? Many times I am sure. It definitely comes into play when talking about running a marathon. I have had it hit at 19 miles, and basically every mile after up to the finish of the marathon–26.2 miles. It is that feeling when you don’t think you can go any further. You are completely exhausted, and have had enough. You ask yourself: Why bother? Why should I keep going? I got nothing left. There are so many similarities to running a marathon, and life in general, that it is scary. Especially with this time of the pandemic, it has been so easy to “hit the wall” now. You get sick and tired of all the politics going on, the ranting and complaining about having to do this, or having to do that. It is not like any of us really have a true choice in the matter. Don’t get me wrong. You can choose to get a vaccine or not. You can choose to wear a mask or not. You can choose to be kind to someone or not. We are all in this together. We can agree to disagree. But, we can still respect each other, and treat each other the way we would want to be treated. When we get pushed though, we push back. It is human nature. And there has been a lot of pushing lately. Running helps take the stress away. In order to help with the stress, sometimes you just have to run further. A marathon can be the secret. But like everything else, it is always easier with help from your friends and family. They help keep you going, and when you feel like you hit a wall, they are there to help you get over it, or through it, or around it, whatever the case may be.
Good words of advice. Take things on head first. Don’t back down from challenges. You can push through things. You can meet those challenges. In life, as well as the marathon, there are times when things hurt more. Push through the pain. But there is no mistaking it. They are times when things get tough.
Sometimes you want to just lay down and say, “enough”! I can’t possible do any more.
The look on your face can say, “enough is enough”. I can only do so much. And that is when you dig down deeper. You figure out what you are really made of, and who you really are. We got saved yesterday doing a 20 mile run…the longest run we have done prior to the marathon that we will be doing in 3 weeks. We got saved by Randy and delivery of “nutritional vitamins”. Nothing better than peanut M and M’s for this!
Of course, the real reason we run is to eat! There has to be some other reward in all of this, doesn’t there?
If we did not have social media as well, how could we possible talk about our long runs, and our adventures, and experiences so everybody can hear about them?
Get back to having fun in your life. Ignore all of the other garbage going on all of the time. We do not need any other reasons to keep “hitting the wall”. Let it go!
Get excited about something…whatever it is, and be passionate about it. You only live once. Break down all those barriers…those “walls”, and plow through it. I believe all of us in our run club will do great in Fargo in 3 weeks, and we are going to take on that wall when it comes, and push right through it. Stay tough. Stay focused. Rely on your friends and family. And, keep moving everybody, and stop “hitting the wall”…and if you do, just hit it harder than it hits you!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of New Streak: # 889
