Running with Perseverance
Heat, burning sun, dusty haze, tired legs - running 21k in a desert country is far from ideal. I approached 16k and my stamina began to wane. Why was the way so far and my feet so sore? I'm used to being able to tell my body to just keep going and it will, but I was starting to have second thoughts. My right calf was in pain every time I extended it too quickly or too far. My head felt a bit faint from the heat of the sun. I began to wonder what would happen if I lost the willpower to go on. Who would stop for me? Who would know that I wasn't ok? Our path marked out for us ran between construction sites and flat arid desert. Occasionally we were running by store fronts or across a main street, but otherwise the way stretched ahead void of pleasant distractions or interesting views. The mental battle raged on as I tried to push on, to hold onto some pleasant thought that might give me stamina to go on. The silence in my mind was deafening.Though music bounced off my ear drums f...