Leave Yourself Room to Grow

The first part of this post is going to be a running update but then I’ll be discussing something more universal and IMPORTANT.  So hang with me for a minute even if you aren’t into the running stuff.

Here I am, 4 days from the half marathon that is the culmination of 22 weeks of dedicated training.  Sadly, the weather report has predicted unseasonably high temps in the 90′s.  The race has been pushed forward half an hour to try to reduce the inevitable weather related injuries that are going to occur and we runners are being urged to give up on our time goals, leave our Garmins at home, walk through all aid stations while drinking, take salt tabs, and focus on crossing the finish line NOT on a stretcher.  This is more than a little disappointing to the thousands of us who have prepared so long for this day,  but there’s nothing anyone can do about the weather.

But even before this weather news broke, I had come to a decision – This will be my last endurance sporting event.  10K’s yes, but longer than that, no.  I have LOVED being an endurance athlete.  I have adored the preparation, the step-by-step achievement of small goals and then larger ones, and every single lesson each training period and race has taught me.  Many  races have taught me about perseverance and the depth of my strength.  Others have taught me humility.  They have ALL taught me to trust in G-d that whatever I truly need is delivered right when I truly need it.

So why would I give it up?  Well, the lesson this training period has taught me, is that sometimes, even when you love something, you need to move on.

Long-distance training aggravates a health issue I have.  Simple as that.  When I get above 35km/week I start suffering in ways that blacken and char every single aspect of my life.  I am simply not willing to live this way anymore.  I did my absolute best to ensure that this would not happen again this year: professional guidance, the very best nutrition and supplements, more rest, better training.  But I still did not escape.  One more long run on Friday, and then I’m done.  It’s time to move on and find a new sports hobby I will love and that will love me back.

The important take-away here is that those of us who are on a committed path of self-improvement, MUST leave room for growth!  And when we are working really hard on ourselves every day, growth can happen so rapidly, we must be prepared to quickly shed our skin OR we will be choked by self-sabotage and stuck in a too small space where our dreams and spirit wither and die.

Recently I realized that I had painted myself into a corner in several areas of my life.  I tried to delicately extricate myself from these corners but unintentionally made a painful mess, splattering paint everywhere.

Watch those corners, stay awake to your intuition, and always leave yourself room to grow.  Pay close attention to when something is starting to chafe.  Even if it was your favorite sweater in the whole wide world, there comes a time when you will need to let it go.

It’s scary also because you cannot know what lies beyond.  What if what you had really was the best you’ll ever get?

It’s not, darling.  It can’t be.  The world I choose to believe in has limitless possibilities.  But you will only find the new and wonderful things, if you let go of the ones you are choking to death in your sweaty, fearful grasp.

Let The %$#@  Go.

My Tel Aviv Marathon 2013 Theme Song.  Every single word of this = YES

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