This life lesson relates to my previous blog #36 Run a Half Marathon.
As I said previously, this wasn’t the first time that I was stopped from achieving something from my bucket list and it certainly was not the last. This is only one of at least six times that I have nearly achieved a goal, only for it to be taken away from me.
Sometimes it has been because of personal injury, while other times it has been the weather or circumstances beyond my control that have not worked out in my favour. Regardless of the obstacles that have stopped me previously, I am still passionate about these goals and they remain on my list.
When I decided that I was going to run a half marathon, I found a training programme and launched into it with enthusiasm. I wanted to do it correctly, so I committed to following the schedule to a tee. This was the first commitment that I made to this goal.
Despite my best efforts, an injury to my knee was enough to impede me from accomplishing that goal. I went to physio in search of answers, but eventually admitted defeat and ceased any further appointments. I was still committed to completing my goal, but I no longer had the motivation to keep going with the rehab.
When Jesse arrived on the scene, my motivation was renewed, and I decided it was time to cross this one off the list. Taking what I had learned over the last couple years, I developed a new running style that would allow me to run for longer distances without the pain flaring up.
In 2014, I pushed myself to stick to the schedule and was running harder than I had ever run before. In 2016, I took a more relaxed approach and my main focus was to finish every run without any pain. This was my new commitment – just get through the damn training programme!
I started off as the hare and had to become the tortoise. And as the fable tells us, slow and steady wins the race. Becoming the tortoise was what allowed me to actually get through the training programme, and subsequently, the race. This bucket list item has taken the most commitment, and that is why I consider it to be the most rewarding one thus far.
Now that I have crossed this one off of my list, you would think that the hard work is over, but that is not the case. Most items leave me with a lasting, happy memory. While this one did achieve that, it also left me with a persistent pain that I have yet to shake. The pain has tarnished my memory of elation and I seek vindication to free my mind from any negativity tied to this great achievement.
My last, and final, commitment is to not only get an answer for what I have done to my knee, but also to fully rehabilitate it. At the time of writing this blog, I have been going to regular physio appointments and we have developed a hypothesis of what I may have done. The hypothesis has led us to an exercise programme, which is showing results.
My hope is that a full rehabilitation is on my horizon within the next six months. The feeling of running without the fear of my knee flaring up is not one that I have been familiar with since 2014. We fight to complete these life goals, but in a way, sometimes they fight back.
To anyone out there who is dealing with a chronic injury, don’t stop fighting. All it takes is commitment.
When has your commitment helped you achieve a life goal? Let me know in the comments below.
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Dave has been on a mission, since 2010, to cross off the 100 items on his bucket list. The stories of his adventures are complimented by life lessons learned along the way and his travel tips are unique to his experiences.
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