Pain and Refocus

An amazing realization occurred yesterday morning as I was on that beautiful bike ride along the Murdock Canal.  My knees were killing me, and I could think of little else throughout most of the ride.  Then I saw the young woman I wrote about in yesterday's entry, running and pushing the jogging stroller.  I realized when I got home that as I was thinking about how inspiring she and many others out there on the trail were, I hadn't even noticed my pain for the remainder of the ride.  It was incredible how that worked!

I remember well my first marathon, just over ten years ago.  The night before the big 26.2 Deseret News Marathon, I wrote down 26.2 (!) names of those who helped me get there.  Family, friends, even teachers and mentors.  I dedicated a mile to each of them.  Each time I reached a mile marker, I pulled out my list and focused on that person for the next mile.  Mark was by my side the entire time, even though he could have finished it much faster than I could, and we talked about that person while we ran (or walked!).  Having someone else to focus on was extremely helpful when the miles grew painful and  when I wondered why in the world I had set out to do this.  What an exhilarating experience to realize the many who had and continue to be such an inspiration.

So.  Now I'm a little older and wanting to get back into the swing of things.  Things like joints and bones and muscles are a little more creaky and wobbly and painful.  They don't do what I'd like them to do as fast as I'd like.  I'm seeking for inspiration.  I'm certain, as happened yesterday, that looking around and focusing on someone else will help me to not be so concerned with my own aches and pains.

Today's 'dedication' goes to the guy I saw in the gym this morning.  I have seen him there once or twice, he looks to be about 40 or 50 years old, but today I noticed him hunched over, walking from one weight machine to the next.  He looked like he was in even more pain than I was yesterday.  He was limping a bit, and I have no idea what his story is.  But he was there.  He didn't not show up to work out.  It was inspiring to see that perhaps he would have rather stayed home in bed this morning, but instead, he was pushing forward.

To you, as you finish your day, I hope the pain lessens.  I hope you have loved ones who will give you support and care.  And I hope you will show up again to push through another day!