“Commit to honoring your commitments.”
This past week, I had yet another setback. I was visiting family over Thanksgiving and decided to try a short run outside. Overall, the run went well; both my knees and Achilles felt pretty good. It wasn’t until later that day that the arch of my left foot started to get sore. I was on my feet cooking most of the day, so the soreness never really went away. It was very mild the next morning and gone by Saturday.
My intention was to go to the gym for strength training on Saturday, but I had a run-in with my toddler that morning that put me in a bad mood and stripped away all motivation to go to the gym. To clear my head, I decided to get outside for what was supposed to be a walk. It was cold, and I was fuming, so I ran instead. I felt ok until I started running downhill. I could feel tightness in my arch and by the time I got home, it was pretty sore again. UGHHHH!
This setback has really taken the wind out of my sails. I’m at a loss as to why my arch would be flaring up. My guess is that either the muscles and tendons were fatigued from all the strength and mobility work I’ve been doing, and running on pavement was too much of a load for them to bear; or, it’s possible the steroid injections I had on that foot for my neuroma caused weakening of the surrounding tissues. Needless to say, I’m frustrated and discouraged.
I spent the better part of Saturday allowing myself to feel all the feels. Yesterday, I tried my best to let go of the negative thoughts and feelings. I got myself back to gym which felt good, and listened to a podcast about recovering from injury that lifted my spirits a bit. I’m trying to remind myself that most aches and pains are short-lived, especially when I’m willing to step off the gas and give my body the extra love and attention it’s asking for.
All that said, this setback has me questioning if I’ve set my sights too high on this 100-mile race. Right now, it feels like an impossibility. I need to get my body back into working order before I even begin the real training, and currently it feels like I’m going in the wrong direction.
Last week, I ended my post by saying, “Onwards and upwards, with unwavering patience and relentless dedication to the process.” This setback is certainly testing my patience, and I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t caused me to question my commitment to the lofty goal I’ve set for myself.
“Commit to honoring your commitments.”
This quote, from Nick Bare, has been top of mind over the last few days. I see immense value in this practice as it cultivates integrity and offers a source of motivation during hard times. Honoring my commitment is currently my motivation to keep pushing forward. As I’ve said before, “It’s not the outcome of 100 miles I’m after. I’m in it for the transformation of self that’s inevitable as I strive towards this goal.”
In a recent post titled The Path to Greatness, I wrote:
“The beauty of shared existence lies in observing humanity’s vast potential. Gain inspiration from those around you doing great things. Study their habits, traits, and value systems. Emulate these characteristics as you forge your own path to greatness.
As you strive to unlock your limitless potential, remember this:
The path to greatness is filled with passion, courage, and a fierce dedication to the process, not the outcome. Make progress your focus. Put in the work day after day. Consistent, persistent effort will yield results beyond your wildest dreams.
As you venture down this path, keep in mind:
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you did or did not achieve. What matters is what you learned. Regardless of the outcome, the question remains the same: “What did you learn that can help you as you keep pushing forward.”
Learning fuels progress, and progress drives growth. To learn is to grow, and growth is the essence of life.”
Yet again, I’m reminded that progress is the goal and a relentless dedication to the process is the way forward. Following this path, growth is inevitable, and maybe, just maybe, 100 miles is at the other end of that growth.
Here’s to focusing on the here and now. After all, the present moment is all we really have.
