Lesson #2: Mobility Matters
Today I am grateful for friendly and practical doctors and for the wind at my back for part of my walk with Oliver this morning.
Lesson #2 from marathon training is: mobility matters. It matters a ton. It matters so much, but if you are like me, it is one of those things that I regularly take for granted. I am not just talking about my own body's mobility either. We have two working cars in the garage and money to pay for the gas they need. How many people in this country would consider that a luxury? How many people in this world will never have such mobility?
I live in an urban area that offers buses, taxies, and light rail trains as modes of transportation locally and airplanes as an option for wider travels. If I could only rely on my two feet, my world would shrink. That wouldn't be all bad, but my first thought is how often would I get to see my family-most of whom live 150 miles away and some who live further away? What about Darcy's family? They are 250 miles away. Emily is 250 miles away and Arthur and Alyssa are 450 or so. Take away our mobile forms of transportation and life changes.
But I am also talking about my personal mobility. Many people could run or walk a marathon if they chose to train and prepare for it. They are mobile but opt out. But there are many who, even if they wanted to run a marathon, wouldn't be able to. Their mobility is limited because of health issues, disability, chronic pain, injuries, and more. Still others wouldn't be able to find a safe place to run or wouldn't be able to find comfortable shoes and clothes to run in.
I am deeply blessed. Being able to train for a marathon, then look forward to the trip and the marathon to come, fill me with the best kind of anticipation. And I get to share that anticipation with my husband, like we have shared so many training runs. I may be sore, slow up and down the stairs, after some of those runs, but I still feel great and I so appreciate the mobility I do have. Whether on foot, by car, or plane, I get to view the world around me through a lens of gratitude and that makes for a great view.
Lesson #2 from marathon training is: mobility matters. It matters a ton. It matters so much, but if you are like me, it is one of those things that I regularly take for granted. I am not just talking about my own body's mobility either. We have two working cars in the garage and money to pay for the gas they need. How many people in this country would consider that a luxury? How many people in this world will never have such mobility?
I live in an urban area that offers buses, taxies, and light rail trains as modes of transportation locally and airplanes as an option for wider travels. If I could only rely on my two feet, my world would shrink. That wouldn't be all bad, but my first thought is how often would I get to see my family-most of whom live 150 miles away and some who live further away? What about Darcy's family? They are 250 miles away. Emily is 250 miles away and Arthur and Alyssa are 450 or so. Take away our mobile forms of transportation and life changes.
But I am also talking about my personal mobility. Many people could run or walk a marathon if they chose to train and prepare for it. They are mobile but opt out. But there are many who, even if they wanted to run a marathon, wouldn't be able to. Their mobility is limited because of health issues, disability, chronic pain, injuries, and more. Still others wouldn't be able to find a safe place to run or wouldn't be able to find comfortable shoes and clothes to run in.
I am deeply blessed. Being able to train for a marathon, then look forward to the trip and the marathon to come, fill me with the best kind of anticipation. And I get to share that anticipation with my husband, like we have shared so many training runs. I may be sore, slow up and down the stairs, after some of those runs, but I still feel great and I so appreciate the mobility I do have. Whether on foot, by car, or plane, I get to view the world around me through a lens of gratitude and that makes for a great view.
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