Running with hope
I think I often take my love of running for granted. It’s so very easy to get caught up in our carefully crafted training plans and whether Asics are better than Brooks, and the merits, or detriments, of barefoot running.
This is why, every now and then, I like to pause for a while and reconnect with the basic foundations of my love for running, by writing it down.
I was recently included in a writing relay, over on my other blog. The topic was ‘hope’. I thought long and hard about what I should write about. Hope is such a powerful word, and after reading the achingly beautiful and poignant responses from my fellow baton holders, I very nearly didn’t write anything at all. I asked myself, ”What do you know about hope?”
I was met with my own silence.
And so, as I always do when I need some time to think, I laced up my trainers and hit the road running.
I ran along the riverside and through the park, and listened to the sound of my breath as it left my lungs and met with the warm air. I felt the beads of sweat roll down my lower back, collecting in the waistband of my running shorts. I watched, as other runners approached me, gesturing my presence with that welcoming nod that humbly conveys, ”We are in this together”. I ran and ran, and thought and thought.
I think about a lot of things when I run. I often think about my Mum and wonder what life would be like if she was still here. I try to remember what her voice sounded like and allow myself to wallow in long-gone memories that linger in the corners of my mind. I think about her fight with depression and the lessons I was unwittingly taught in the aftermath of her death. I think about my own struggles and how they have shaped me along the way. I think about my life and what I hope to achieve from it, and the ways in which I can strive for a future full of honesty, love, compassion and inspiring others.
Running centres me and gives me space to breathe easy. It challenges me to overcome difficult times by digging deep and listening to my heart, knowing that there is no advance without adversity.
Running provides me with a desire to reach out to life and grab it with both hands. In three months time, I’ll be running my first ultra marathon, a race that, just two years ago, would have been an inconceivably impossible distance to complete. But through running, through breaking down barriers bit-by-bit, I’ve learnt to endure, to trust not only the strength of my own body, but my mental tenacity. It’s an empowering sensation, to know that something that once seemed so unreasonably difficult, was mastered through a potent mix of sheer determination, gritted teeth and hope.
Hope is the basic, yet deep foundation that supports my sky-scraping love for running.
For LIFE.
And now it’s my turn to pass the baton along.
Melanie passed it to Jerrod, and Jerrod passed it to me.
I’d like to pass the baton of hope to Marie from My Cyber House Rules, Dan Cartwright, Tom from Running Physio and Jen from Two Itchy Feet.
I could say so much, but I think I pretty much already do in our emails. (Plus, I’m just ticked Jerrod got to you first, as I wanted to tag you as well.) Such an incredible post, my dear friend. But selfishly, when I read: “I think I often take my love of running for granted,” I couldn’t help but nod my head. Not that you don’t realize how lucky you are, but because it’s something I can’t (shouldn’t) do right now. I love the exercise, the way it clears my head and lets me escape. But I have hope that eventually I can get back to a point where it’s healthy for me and not harmful.
You give me hope every day that depression is not a life sentence, and that through friendship and support–something I usually shun–something hopeful and better is out there. Thank you.
Your heart is full of hope, Abs.
“Even a tree has hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches”.
Love you, friend.
I’ve got your back.
Know that.
P.S. So glad you tagged Marie.
Yesterday Abby tagged among others Lance (My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog) and it was almost like “sorry Lance I know you don’t need this, but” and Lance was like “I’ll just use my magical writing talent and spit out an unbelievable post in less than 5 minutes because heck, my blog really can beat up your blog” … I read this and felt like I was eavesdropping on the cool kids table as I was mopping up the floor because the only reason I can go to the same school is by doing the maintenance. (??? What am I saying ???)
I feel honored in being tagged by you. Not only have you tagged me, but you chose to do it here. On your running blog. On your become the best person you can be blog. On your absolutely beautiful and inspiring blog. And I thank you. I will try to dig deep and verbalize what hope means to me. I will do my best to not let you down.
I loved your blog post.
Loved it.
[...] inspiring piece formed her stretch of the run and now it's on to me to keep up the [...]
Baton gratefully received. I will get to it, I promise! Thanks for your beautiful words.
…and thank you for yours! I loved your post!
<3 (Gosh, we're a soppy bunch, ey?!).
We are!
I’m finally back to the real world after a stay in New York and I finally got to really sit down and read your post. There is a reason why I picked you, Abby and Jen. I knew all three of you would take the topic and make it real and inspiring. It was my hope that you would incorporate hope with you love of the road. Your words have yet to leave me not wanting more.
I’m so thankful, thankful, thankful that you write with your heart and can share it on the screen the way that you do.
Hey Jerrod,
I’m thankful, thankful, thankful that you picked me.
I really enjoyed writing the post.