While I shouldn't be anymore, I'm always amazed when I read something that just seems to speak to me when I need to hear it most. I've had everything put on hold initially because I was waiting to get an appointment to get my knee surgery and then once the surgery was scheduled I made a decision, a poor one I think now, to not plan any traveling until after the surgery and finding out what the doctor's instructions were going to be. As a result, I've been climbing the walls and feeling out of sorts. People might find it odd that I plan travel and races so far ahead but it helps give me something to look ahead to and that's a big reason why I do it. All of that has always been on hold.
I do have one race scheduled in mid May because I signed up for it a long time ago. Obviously I'm hoping to be running enough by then again to do it. It is the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco. Anyway, back to what I said about reading something. I picked up a book that I had bought quite a while ago and decided to read it. It was, Hiking Through - One man's journey to peace and freedom on the Appalachian Trail by Paul Stutzman. It was written by a man who decided to hike the AT after his wife passed away from cancer. It was close to the end of the book when I read this: "Satisfaction in reaching goals does not lie in the speed with which we achieve them; sometimes the satisfaction rises from overcoming obstacles and gaining wisdom in our journeys. How often do we dream of a goal, finally reach it, and then wonder, is that all there is? Don't forget to live on your journey".
And how did that apply to me? I still have the goal of running 200 races between my 60th and 70th birthdays. Presently I have finished 174 so obviously I have only 26 left and prior to getting injured that seemed simple. It may still be but now I have to step back and realize that there is no guarantee that it will happen. The important thing going forward is to appreciate each race that I do get to run and take each one as it comes. While it is still fine to have long range goals, it is equally important to not focus just on the finish. I have said since I started this quest that I had three goals; get to the starting line, get to the finish line; enjoy it as much as possible during the race. I think I need a fourth and fifth, enjoy the buildup experience as well and appreciate each race for a while before looking ahead to the next one.
Anyway, the surgery is scheduled for February 12th and the post op session is the 22nd so hopefully after that I'll be able to get an idea of what the future may hold. The main thing I have to remember is that there is plenty to look forward to but not to look so far ahead that I don't enjoy what's happening when it's happening.
The biggest thing that I've been doing here this year so far is being a dog sitter for Shorty. She had to have her second major surgery and obviously had to be kept separate from the other five dogs. She was ordered to two weeks of bed rest. Donna set up a small kennel in the living room and she had to be taken in and out for the bathroom. It wasn't a problem and that was one reason that it was good I wasn't traveling. We got the staples out yesterday so she seems to be back to normal.
The biggest negative for not being able to travel is that I haven't taken a trip to Florida yet to see my newest grandson Donovan. The plan as of now is that it will be the first trip I take. Then I can hopefully see my sister Carol when I'm down there as well.
And I've used the time to get a lot of work done on my Sierra Coaching Blog. I've finished the first 11 years.
So for now I've got to be patient!
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