Sunday, October 4, 2009

Step One, We Can Have Lots of Fun

I realized not too long ago that, at my advanced age, this marathon thing is my first real, live goal. 

Maybe my next goal should be to make more goals.

I've never been a person to map out her life: high school diploma by 17, degree by 22, married by 25, kids by 30, CEO by 35.  Sure, when I was young I had dreams and aspirations but singing into the mirror, hairbrush in hand, willing myself to be the next Olivia Newton-John doesn't really count as a goal, I don't think.  I certainly haven't rested on my laurels, though.  I've seen, done and achieved a few cool things in my life but that's mostly due to a spirit of carpe diem rather than get-a-big-PER-diem.  I've lived my life open to possibilities and listening to Serendipity and it's served me well thus far.

So why this goal and why now?  Beats me, other than it seemed like a good idea at the time.  The decision to run a marathon was a gut one.  I didn't think it through at all.  I'm still not thinking it through, really.  The implications of this particular goal are dawning on me slowly, which is a good thing.  If I really investigated what it would mean to my life to do this, I likely wouldn't have decided to do it.  Best to sally forth blindly until I'm so immersed it will be impossible to surface when reality hits.

Goal-setting is major stuff.  People make money off of telling you how to it.  You can buy software to help you set and achieve goals.  Google results for setting or achieving goals number in the millions.  So I shouldn't have any trouble, right?  The experts (on the websites I looked at) say I can achieve my goal in 10 steps:

1. Pick ONE Goal: Check!
2. Start Small and Easy: Oh oh....
3. Simplify: Oh dear...
4. Write It Down: Done and done!
5. Keep Track Every Day: What?  I can barely do it weekly!
6. You Have To Want It: I think I want it...
7. Schedule Time:
  • Prioritize: No problem; unless something else comes up
  • Say No: Well, this past week I was pretty good at saying no to running, but I don't think this is what they mean.
  • Make the Time: If I could truly make time I would be rich
8. Be Firm Yet Flexible: I'm hoping to be firm by the end of this whole thing and I save flexibility for the yoga studio
9. Be Positive: Hey, that's my blood type!
10. Pray About It: I start doing this at about kilometer 6.
(from http://lds.about.com/od/1/a/les_goals.htm)

What's challenging me about this goal of training for and running a marathon is you can't do it halfway (I was going to say "half-a***d" but I'm not that fortunate).  I got through school with mostly mediocre effort.  Sometimes I can get away with that at work.  But with marathons, well, that's just dumb.  I might as well splint my shins and fasciitis my plantars now instead of wasting time. 

This goal takes work and planning and commitment and sacrifice.  I would imagine most real goals are like that.  Right now I'm still feeding off the novelty of it all and the mildly admiring looks I get when I announce to people, "Well, actually, I'm training for a marathon" as I subtly flex my calves.  In January, running 25km in minus 30, I will need much more than braggadocio to sustain me.

I know when I get to France and get over that finish line next year it will feel like nothing I've experienced yet and that is motivating.  And I'll be able to loop right back to novelty and insufferable bombast, which will be fun.  But I think it's getting through the in-between that will be the most rewarding.  The journey to get to the journey.  Knowing that I stuck through the muck in the middle. 

That might be the real goal in the end.


# of km this week = 0      *sob*
# of hours sleep I caught up on = 10   yippee!
# of bowls of buttercream still in fridge = 1



Want to learn more about L'Arche, the organization I work for and am running for? Go to www.larchecalgary.org

Want to support my efforts?  Go to www.canadahelps.org/gp/5210

Want to learn more about the Marathon du Medoc?  Check out www.marathondumedoc.com

2 comments:

  1. I found your blog through Lainey Gossip and I'm inspired by you. Enough to run a marathon of my own? Likely not. But inspired all the same. If you're looking for a touch of inspiration (or a glimpse at total insanity), check out the documentary Running the Sahara.

    Good Luck!!
    Allison

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  2. Hello Robyn!
    I had a similar goal (but only half the distance) I set for myself last year. I had a running blog too! http://therunningpear.blogspot.com. Congratulations on setting such a great goal and good luck!

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