Running with Purpose

When I told a friend that I was intending to run 13.1 miles this past Sunday, she asked — “on purpose??”

And so, that got me thinking: what was my purpose?

Now, let’s be clear: I am not an elite runner. I am a middle-aged woman who puts one foot in front of the other. I huff and puff a bit. My face gets tomato-red. I do not resemble — in any way — the athletes from the university’s track team who often pass me on Sunday mornings during my long runs, looking like a pack of gazelles as they zoom by.

And yet, I still do it. Why?

Well, I learned long ago that exercise is crucial to keeping some semblance of balance in my life. It keeps my body moving, but it also keeps my mind from racing away without me. And running gives me time alone with myself. When I run, I reflect. I think. I let my mind wander. It has, in fact, has been my solace as the months of the pandemic have dragged on.

OK, but then why run so far? What’s the purpose of that? Simply proving that you can?

In fact, yes.

There is so much that I can’t do right now. I can’t be as present for my students as I’d like to be, teaching via video. I can’t wrap the people that I care most about in bear hugs in times of happiness, or worry, or sorrow. I can’t control what other people do or say — or the consequences of their actions or inactions. I can’t control COVID19 and keep it from infecting friends and loved ones, as it has. And, if I concentrate on what I can’t do, life gets pretty bleak.

So, I chose today to concentrate on what I can do. In addition to wearing my mask and washing my hands, I can run. And so I did. And I hope that little bit of accomplishment will carry me through these next few (potentially harrowing) weeks.

What will you do to remind yourself of what you can do?