Thus Far

Every so many years, we reach a point wherein decisions must be made.
They represent a nexus of accomplishment and ambition. They reflect the totality of our efforts, and the trust we must place in ourselves.

It has been said that the only way to nullify the definition of a cliche activity is with the weapon of truth. Albeit, we now face a critical moment in not just our future, but our lives. For we have all accomplished a grand endeavor, and must now decide how to use this experience.

By the end of this month, I will have formally graduated from my undergraduate work, decided on a law school, have conducted several interviews, likely have been offered a position of employment, and hopefully begun running once again. But it the total of all these acts, I will know a little more about what I am capable of.

I live in a small suburb in northern Massachusetts, but within this cubby of society, is a landscape, saturated with endurance athletes. As a triathlete, I know the greatest threat to one's existence is the propensity to over train. I have long been infamous for having this affliction, which has manifest itself in four chronic injuries in a single academic year.
In short, the hardest thing about resuming training, is repeatedly telling myself, that I am not in the shape, phyiscal or mental, that I was one year ago. Therefore, I must build...gradually.

There is a fine line between endurance and performance. One is composed of will, committment, and sheer mental sharpness. The other, is strictly mental sharpness. Three Time Ironman Champion Peter Reid, once held that "It's so physically demanding, that ironically, it usually comes down to who's the smartest" The core of this little recess of ours has never been said more accuretly.

Performance, racing, and competition is not for the proletariat of endurance sport. For it requires, knowledge, experience and truth. A good friend, a fellow marathoner, and one who has far less experience than I in discressionary training, asked me why I would go out and run 15 miles on a Wednesday afternoon. Because. he claimed "Any runner with enough mental tenacity can do this, but the prudential among us does it for a reason, just as we rest and sleep and eat well"

I have recently forefitted training when I first wake up, to allow my mind to actually consider what I'm getting my body into - A luxury I have denied myself for sometime. So then I wait. I consider, and I realize how polarized our world is. It's either going at it witth mind and body, or just not. Its black and white. There is no gray area.










But in this process, I've found things outside of black and white. Not gray, but more colors. Things which illustrate the essence of youth. Ideas which make me reach beyond the comforts of the familiar. And memories which will never be lost.