Skip to main content

Good Medicine

Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down
The medicine go down
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way~1964 Walt Disney, Mary Poppins

Yesterday I decided that I would attend my running club's Breakfast run.  One member of the club agreed to create the route and sponsor a post-run breakfast for the runners who attended.  The run was free for all attendees and the attendees agreed to bring something yummy for the post-breakfast feast in turn.  Seemed fair to me so I signed up.

After Googling the address and bundling up for the 25F degree forecast; I arrived at the host's home.  She is an awesome, active military woman who recently relocated to the area with her family.  She greeted each runner with a warm, welcoming smile as we arrived at her home. Then she showed us the map of the run.  None of us previewed the course.  It was  surprise.  It was very well organized and included a description as well as a picture of the route. 

Panic set in when I saw the map.  I started thinking, "What was this woman smoking when she was overseas? Is she crazy because this course looks impossible? We are just regular, everyday runners just trying to burn a few extra calories NOT the militia preparing for the last battle.  Does she really think we can run this course? Do I think I can run this course?"

And we are off….

Needless to say, I survived the course.  The 10 mile run turned out to be more like 11-ish.  While running,  I kept thinking "What am I doing out here in the hinterlands? I would have NEVER chosen a course like this?  Is this lady crazy?"  See I was out on the course all alone.  Most of the people were ahead of me.  I was happy to run alone at my pace.  My goal was to finish the  ENTIRE course.  

Then I walked in the front door inconspicuously at the end of the run.  Everyone was eating breakfast by this time and a few people  turned to me and asked, "Did you run the entire course?"  I responded, "Yes."  Some ladies smiled and admitted how they did not.  They took a short cut.  They looked at me in amazement.  I am not sure what they were thinking.  

The host asked “How’d it go?  I smiled and said, "Good Medicine."  A few other members gave me a congratulatory smile as they continued to chow down on the phenomenal smorgasbord of brunch options. 

I would have never even attempted such a running course if the host did not create one.  Secretly, I was grateful. It WAS the most challenging run I have ever done in my entire life and I FINISHED.  

This run reminded me of my grandmother made me take Castor Oil every Friday when I was a small child.  She would say, "This is good medicine and it is good for you. I know it tastes bad, but it will keep you well and make your immune system strong."  I am not sure if grand mom was right, but I had very few colds as a child.   I felt like the host gave me a good ole dose of “kick in the pants” to remind me that I am stronger and more capable than I think I am. 

Question...

Will you accept a challenge and give a good effort or will you allow fear to determine your fate?


~Stayfitt

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fear, Feedback and Fuel

On Sunday, I started the Chicago Triathlon.  It was one of the largest in the United States.  The goal was to complete 1500m in Lake Michigan cycle 24.5 miles and run 6.2 miles in Chicago. I completed this race last year. It was both challenging and fun. This year the outcome was not what I had planned. I started the race surrounded by wonderful people, Some I knew while others were strangers. We all started the race together. Rough waters awaited. Lake Michigan looked menacing.  She churned and tossed us from the moment we entered the water. Here I am at the first bouy. My plan was slow and steady since I was not familiar with this type of water. So I swam. I remembered saying to myself, "Slow is fast". I focused on each stroke and thought of little else. I saw a friend swim by me. It made me feel great as I turned to the straightaway toward the finish. I could see the finish through my Rx goggles. I swam and swam. As I sighted for the tall buildings in the distanc
10 comments
Read more

Grit- Road to Chicago Olympic Triathlon

Definition  Grit in psychology is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual's passion for a particular long-term goal or end state, coupled with a powerful motivation to achieve their respective objective. This perseverance of effort promotes the overcoming of obstacles or challenges that lie within a gritty individual's path to accomplishment, and serves as a driving force in achievement realization. Commonly associated concepts within the field of psychology include "perseverance", "hardiness", "resilience", "ambition", "need for achievement" and "conscientiousness".  This is who I am. Stacy the Grit.  Yes, I could spend a lot of time talking to you about my finish time and what I could improve upon yadda yadda yadda but anyone who reads my blog knows that I rarely focus on the outcome.  I focus on the process. I focus on how did I arrive at a specific point and time. I focus on the jour
6 comments
Read more

Bend or Break- RagnarDC

 So a running buddy called me a week before a 200 mile relay race from Flintstone, MD to Washington, DC. Her team needed one more runner to replace a person who could not attend due to a life event. I said, "Sure, I can do this."  I tend to be a "Yes" girl.  I like to say "Yes" more than "No." So there I sat in my pajamas not knowing what adventure awaited me. Six days after the call, I met the team for dinner and headed up to a hotel close to the course start. I must say I was nervous. I did not feel prepared. I observed how calm my teammates were and internally I was hoping to not let them down. See, I was Leg one of a 200 mile race. Leg 1-Rocky Gap Trail. 0500 There I was at the start. Pumped and ready. It was pitch dark when the race started. My 0500 wave started and off I went. I had a map of the course and followed the directions as best as I could. Before I knew it I was under a canopy of trees. It was dark. No, it was p
2 comments
Read more