the 2nd mile

Tonight I went on a run. Whenever I run longer distances, I find a common theme; the 2nd mile is always one of the roughest for me. I'm not sure why, it's just always been a tough mile.

And when you run, you think, well I think. I think about life, about work, about friends, about whether that car is going to stop or if I'm going to have to make a sprint for it...oh wait, yeah, about life... And so I'm always running, and thinking, when that dang 2nd mile creeps up on me! The first mile I'm excited to be out running, I'm going fast, eager to hit my stride and really get into my run, but then....that 2nd mile... I go into it strong, but that's when exhaustion seems to hit, discouragement hits. I know where I'm going...and that's where I want to be! I want to be done; I'm tired, I'm sweaty, I've been going too fast, way past my good steady pace, I'm thinking "what is wrong with me? I can't run, I don't like this...am I home yet?" (It's probably a good think that I run a big loop that is more than 2 miles because, were I not miles from home, I would probably just stop then and there)

It hit me right then, though, how this 2nd mile just might make a nice life analogy right now. And so the thinking resumed...


So, if life is a 5 mile run, I'm totally in my 2nd mile right now (the first mile is age 0-20, each mile = 20yrs, etc, follow?)Sometimes it feels like I'm in a holding pattern; tired, ready to move on, waiting for...well, just waiting.
and sometimes, life starts to feel a little 2nd mileish. I feel like I know where I'm going in life, and yet...sometimes...I wish I could just get there! Know what I mean?

But you know what, my run almost always gets better. I know that if I just push through that 2nd mile, I'm going to love it again. I'm going to love the journey, I'm going to stop thinking about walking back through my door and collapsing and really enjoy the pavement beneath my feet, the breath in my lungs, the wind in my hair.

And when I think about it that way... the 2nd mile's not really that bad...I mean, it's got a nice down-hill portion, I pass that cute little creek with the birds... The 2nd mile is a challenge, but maybe that's the most important part of a run. You think?