The preparation

We all need a goal before we begin a race/project/dinner party. Sometimes, the fun is doing the planning, getting the ingredients ready for the meal or just procrastinating from doing our work. We often distract ourselves from doing what we told ourselves to do hoping that the thing we’re supposed to do will get done on its own. It never works out that way. The distraction will lead to a last minute rush to get the thing done. The result will show that we’ve done it half-assed. We have to make an upfront commitment and put it on the calendar and draw a big circle around the date. Let it stare at us until we’re so tired of looking at it then we take action. 

I have my big red circle around October 2025. That’s the date I will be running my first attempt at a Boston Marathon qualifying race. It’s my first attempt because I know there are variables outside of my control. All I can control is doing my training consistently and trusting the process. There will be many mini-milestones before then. The work now is to run steadily around 30 miles per week and slowly increase 1% each week for 3 months. Afterwards, I will see where I am and what my body is telling me before I take my training to the next phase.

“ I do what is mine to do; the rest doesn’t disturb me.” Book six-verse23, Meditations