Articles & Blog
Use Time Wiseley. We Never Get it Back.
I have been training for an endurance running event for the last 13 weeks. A 45km trail run through the Blue Mountains – the longest event I have ever entered. The event was scheduled for this coming Saturday however, due to the incredible amount of rain Sydney has seen lately, my ultra-marathon has been cancelled. That’s it. Just scrapped. Not postponed – cancelled.
If you can imagine; for myself and the other 999 competitors who were due to run the Six Foot Track ultra-marathon; this weekend is one that we have been building up to and all but dedicating our lives to for the last 3 and a half months (if not longer for some!)
So, when I had the news broken to me at 1pm this afternoon that no, I would not be running this weekend, I was in complete, disappointed shock. But much to my own astonishment, my shock did not last for long at all and I am now here thinking; Surely, after such a long time of training towards this momentous occasion, after the many, many arduous early morning runs, will-tesing hill sessions and aching muscles and bones, sureley I should be feeling more gutted than this?
But for whatever reason, I’m not. Don’t get me wrong; I was extremely excited and nervously eager to run this weekend. I started training very early in the piece with the hope of doing a personal best time on this course and I am in the best shape of my life right now. But even still, my mind keeps erring towards the positives of the situation instead of the negatives. Call it personally developed, call it carefree, call it what you want – I’m calling it being positive.
I have just been granted a whole weekend of FREE TIME! If I could have a dollar for the number of times I catch myself saying or thinking: ‘I didn’t have time, I wish I had more time, if only I had more time’ I’d be one rich lady. Well here it is! Staring me right in the face beeegggginnnggg to be used wisely!
So, sure as hell, I am going to make use of this gift I have been given. I’m still going to go up there this weekend and with the tranquility of the Blue Mountains, I will continue to train as if nothing were any different. I’m going to use this special gift of time to create my future. Im going to work on all the things I never get time for during the week. I’m going to write the 23 blog posts that are whirling around my head and not on paper yet. I’m going to read the book that has been sitting on my bedside table unopened for the last 6 weeks. I’m going to sit and plan the next 9 months of my life with clarity and drive so that come January 1st 2013, I am in an even happier, more successful place than I am now.
Had my running event not been cancelled I would not have the chance to get these things done and I would have put it all off for another god-knows-how-long which would prolong the onset of my future happiness and wild success.
I must find and focus on the gift in this.
It would be very easy to just cancel my travel and accommodation plans to the mountains and stay here in Sydney doing what I do every weekend; which evidently is putting of the blogging and the reading and the planning. But I’m going to say no to that and yes to using this extra time I have been given wisely.
The world will continue to turn and my career and life back here will still await me when I return on Monday. So I will make the most of this precious gift.
After all – I’ll never get this time back.
Betsy.
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Buzz
08/03/2012My 2 cents if I may
Started my 5 months training in January for my first overseas 100 miler which is taking place in May. Like you, I know I am going to dedicate the next many months focusing on putting the right Ks, consistency in my training and racing in good key races and build up to the best shape ever. It was all or nothing. You take on such a laser focus role that everything else seems to be on hold. The routine, the sweat, the set back, the early mornings, the odd lonely long runs, injuries, the drive to the mountains, the fatigue, the post run high, the arvo nap. The lot
4 days out from my first key tune up race, my Nephew back in my home country passed away . His passing was sudden but not unexpected. My first initial thought was “Bugger this weekend’s race entry fee, bugger the flights to Melb I booked and paid for..bugger that i know I wouldn’t get to run for the next 10 days at least..”
I spent 11 days with my family 3000miles away and was mentally drained when I got back to Sydney, it was Carnage. Carnage i n my head and the people around me. The phrase “it’s only running” versus the ‘elite’ group of Ultra Runners I assimilate with seems to have a significant clash.
If you can image here – I have a group of people putting one down when one doesn’t train versus the internal conflict “why am I training so hard when there is more to life than running”
Running or training to run or train to race is all about accountability. Humans are sociable animals and we need acknowledge and affirmation to feel good about ourselves (mostly) Which is why you see on facebook there are more people getting caught in the cynic “self praise” mode than ANYTHING ELSE. It’s really a case of ‘Go me’ in my opinion
My question to you is perhaps,what is the real gift here? The Spare time for reflection? Or the gift upon reflection that you are healthier, have a job, live in a political (kinda) stable country, have real running shoes and all that you stress about is a minute detail in the bigger (much bigger) scheme of things?
Yup, we will not get this time back – So, lets just go and spend the time and do something that will make us, and someone else really happy and fulfilled
olivia
15/03/2012Slight deviation from Betsy’s original point as the comment from “Buzz” touched me deeply. I am no elite runner, rather a late developer trying to keep as fit as i can. The 10k minimos was my event last year. On the basis that if someone can benefit from what I am doing to myself, through sponsorship i raised more than anyone else in this event. The day before the run was going to take place, I received the news that my brother had died very unexpectedly in Rwanda. I was devastated, but at the same time I felt a huge obligation to my sponsors to complete this run, and showed up to do my bit. However I only made it to the first corner, my legs turned to lead and I broke down completely and had to go home. I will do this run again this year and will dedicate it to the memory of my dear brother. Trying to turn a negative into a positive….
Betsy
15/03/2012You are a strong lady Olivia. Many would have given up that day and thrown the towel in for any future events, but look at what you have done! Amazing. And you will kill the minimos this year