Monday’s Metaphor: Train for Your Goals

Eva finished her first full marathon at Disney yesterday!

It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with metaphors. So how could I not be inspired by my dear Chick’s 26-mile, 5+ hour accomplishment? It’s the perfect start to what I plan to make a regular Monday post, a brief observation of a living metaphor around me that week.

So fellow writers, dancers, quilters, mothers and other humans, take note! We can learn a lot from those who call themselves runners.

The thing is, Eva only claimed this new title a couple of years ago. She was a true beginner. With no credentials. No experience. No promise of success. But she did have a goal: to complete her first triathlon.

In this regard, I think runners and athletes have a distinct advantage over writers. They have clear deadlines. If they sign up for a race, they have to train for it, consistently and in ever-larger increments throughout the time leading up to an impending fixed event.

Chick Peggy recently lured me into a literary equivalent. She and I both accepted the 12 x 12 in 2012 writing challenge, committing along with 250 other aspiring and experienced authors alike to draft one new young children’s picture book each month this year.

Like the other runners encouraging each other along Eva’s marathon route weaving through the various Walt Disney World theme parks yesterday, I’m looking forward to the support and positive peer pressure of other children’s authors. There is strength in the support of those who share your goals. That is, after all, the purpose for this blog. And while we all want to do our best, at the end of the race, we’re really only competing against ourselves.

Once again, Eva crossed another finish line she set for herself. Here’s hoping we writers can live out the metaphor this year with our own goals, not sprinting, but training, encouraging, supporting, pacing and enduring through the process of preparing for and completing our own marathon.

Disney Marathon

“I consider the pavement between 20 and 26 sacred ground: not for training, to be tread upon only with a race number on your chest.” – Hal Higdon

Disney Marathon 2012

Tomorrow is my big day.  I will be running the Disney Marathon.  The race starts at 5:30am and I’m in wave C.

I’ve trained as much as I possibly could, while running a business with my hubby, raising 2 little girls and trying to go back to school.

During my whole year of training of had my high’s and low’s.  I’ve question myself why I’m putting my body through this? Am I trying to prove something to myself?  But also I’ve had amazing revelations about what I could really do and how much my body can really handle.   It’s amazing to hear your mind say “give up Eva, you are to old for this” to my body saying “I can go longer, just keep pushing, don’t stop”.   It feels like the battle of good and evil.

My evil side is always complaining.  But my good side admires what I’m doing.  I know this sounds crazy but when you only have yourself to keep you company for 4 hours straight you get tired of hearing yourself.  You try to focus on the music, then you go through your checklist of things that you need to do for the month, you start planning your next Halloween party, and then the only thing left is thinking about how much pain you are in.

So, is this all worth it you may ask?  YES!  It’s worth all the pain.  You turn out realizing how tough you really are.

It’s amazing how going through the Julia Cameron, “Walking In This World” book with my 3 other chicks has helped me not only creatively but also helped me push myself in other things that I though would be impossible for me to do.

If we all lived our lives not fearing what other people might think of us, or letting insecurity stop us.  I wonder how much we all can really accomplish.