The Daily Grind

I was five weeks out from the NYC Marathon and found myself needing to do a 22 mile long run as my second to last +20 miler in advance of the race. On the road attending Catalyst Leadership Conference just outside Atlanta, I knew getting in the run would require some sacrifice - with an 8:30 AM start, my wake-up call would be 4:30 AM with a run start of 5 AM to ensure completion by 8 AM which would mean early to bed as well. Needless to say, it's completely dark at that time, so a well-lighted loop would have to do. The night prior I mapped out a one mile course around a strip mall departing from my hotel.

I headed out into what still felt like night despite my Timex watch telling me otherwise. And so the loops began. To keep track of each one, I picked up small rocks and placed one on the curb near my Hampton Inn each time I passed by...there was nothing eventful or pretty about the run. The scenery rarely changed. Boring and routine would be describe each pass by the front entrance to Kroger's grocery store, which marked about the half-way point for each lap. There were very few people and even fewer cars with which to contend, and after awhile I knew every curb, corner, and crack along the way. While I tried my best to stay in the moment, my focus was clearly on the finish - I did fight off the momentary lapses during which that logical part of my brain shouted "Bag this, pack it in, you've done enough and it's way too early in the morning anyway - it's simply not worth grinding this thing out". But grind it out I did, and coming around to finish that last mile proved sweeter than expected - I had prevailed and persevered over the boredom and routine, driven both by fanatical discipline and a desire to ensure I was ready for the event.

Preparing for a marathon is generally neither glamorous nor fun. It's hard work and it's routine. You carve out the time and make sacrifices along the way knowing the investment of effort will pay off on race day when you are rewarded for your commitment and dedication. Whenever I complete an endurance event, I look back on the several month journey which got me to the starting line, and I recognize this it was the process and the boring and uninspiring daily grind which made the joy of crossing the finish line possible. Everything that's worthwhile in life takes perseverance. Including relationships. Romance novels, Lifetime movies, and society in general often convince us that our lives are lacking excitement, that the grass is greener, and that there are people out there who will make us happier. But the myth is simply just that. Much of what we do together as couples constitutes the daily grind....paying bills, transporting kids to/from practices, cleaning the house, preparing the meals, shopping for food, or taking out the trash. Sometimes the scenery doesn't change much. While there are times we carve out and set aside to escape the routine, like vacations, proportionally it's the mundane and repetitious "stuff" which makes up our days and ultimately our lives. We must learn to find joy and purpose in the daily grind or we risk compromising our finish - resist the urge to pack it in, slow down and listen for that quiet voice which reminds us to stay the course, keep the faith, and BELIEVE that it is all well worth the grind.

"I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith"

- 2 Timothy 4:7