How to Endure and "The Long Run"

I have started to run a little bit more during this COVID thing.

This past Friday, I decided to use the coaching feature on my Nike+ app. I really enjoy listening to music and letting my mind run free when I run. It’s my way of unraveling and I often feel like I have solved all my problems and can conquer the world.

MUCH to my chagrin, Coach Bennett starts rambling on and on about “The Long Run”. I cannot hear my boy Eminem on the mic asking me what I would do if I had just one shot? Apparently, Em, I’m going to let it slip...

So, after a few minutes, Coach gets to the point. Why do we do “The Long Run”? Because it’s hard.

Mmkay. You have my attention now. He disappears and let’s me go back to my music.

Back comes Coach Bennett. 

Because it’s hard, it creates stamina and endurance.

Hmm. What is endurance? (He gives three definitions.)

Endurance (noun): the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way. (We build up our endurance.)

Hmm.

Endurance (adjective): relating to a race or other sporting event that takes place over a long distance or otherwise demands great physical stamina. (The endurance race.)

Endure (verb): to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding, though it is difficult. (We endure.)

WOW.

How relevant is this to what we’re going through right now? (Queue solving life’s problems.)

What I know is that oftentimes when I’m tired and I want to quit, if I just adjust my pace, I can keep going. And it’s the same thing with life. We’re not in a sprint. This is an endurance sport. 

Coach Bennett said sometimes it’s FUN to run fast!! It feels great to feel like a little kid again. But sometimes, you need to slow down. Right now, we are all trying to endure.

When I am able to see that I can push through, I am able to endure, it’s the most amazing feeling. We are always capable of more than we know.

Check your pace. Keep going.