Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Running and the Art of Perseverance



I have to confess, I haven't run in five weeks, due to injury and general laziness. And that means that the level of fitness I've worked so hard to build up has all but vanished. I struggle to make it past one kilometre. And it's very discouraging to be watching my sister and mum run 5km when I'm struggling so much.

It'd be so easy to give up, to say 'I can't do that.' I could just turn my back on running and forget even trying to build myself up again into a 5km runner. It's very tempting to do that. After all, it's going to be hard work. It's going to hurt. I couldn't go through all that getting fit again.

Well, those are my excuses anyway. So why am I back on the treadmill, persevering with running, puffing and sweating my way past 1km? Why am I bothering to try again? Because I want to run.

The key to perseverance for me seems to be to want to do it, to be willing to push past the hard beginnings to get to the good stuff beyond, whether that means getting on the treadmill every morning and struggling to run further each day, or writing through the difficult beginning parts of a novel. I want to be that 5km runner again. I want to finish that novel, and it's that want, that caring about getting to the end that pushes me on. This is why I persevere.

What make you persevere? Have you got any stories of times when you've persevered, even though it's been hard?

4 comments:

  1. You can do it!
    Yeah, after my first book. I didn't think I could do another. Now I'm working on my third, thanks to my fans.

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    1. Thanks. I'm working back up slowly but surely. I really want to do this, and I'm determined to get back up to full running fitness.

      That is a great way to persevere Alex. Good luck with your third books, and good work from your fans to help you get there. I'm sure your perseverance is paying off.

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  2. I tend to fall off the running wagon too and have to force my way back on. The same holds true for my writing, unfortunately.

    Hang in there. :)

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    1. I fall off the writing wagon too sadly. But we'll both get back on when we fall off, and we'll get to our goals someday.

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