A Spirit That Still Dreams
For years, I ran marathons and half-marathons. I was in what I called “half-marathon shape.” That meant that on any given day, I could easily run a half-marathon if the mood hit me.
Seven years ago was the pinnacle of my running career when some friends and I ran the Colorado Ragnar. I was on an ultra team which meant we only had half the standard amount of twelve runners. We each ran six legs in the event compared to the standard three legs that everyone else did. I was the lead off runner from Copper Mountain Resort to the town of Dillon. My second leg was from the bottom to the top of Vail Pass. It’s a little over four miles of steep incline and the highest point of the event at 10,666 feet of elevation. I think the 666 portion is on purpose because it was hellish. Awesome…but hellish.
We started at Copper Mountain Resort and proceeded straight up for a little over four miles. I was passed fairly early by a guy in his 20’s. He was booking it and I soon lost sight of him. When the top of the pass was in sight, I saw him again. Only this time he was struggling just to put one foot in front of another. We finished together.
My fourth leg started at 2:30am from the town of Gypsum all the way to the entrance of Glenwood Canyon. It was about nine miles. Again, I was passed early by a younger guy. I specifically remember hearing him smirk a little as he streaked past me. About six miles in, I passed him while he was struggling to stay upright.
I don’t write that to tell you how awesome I am. Don’t get me wrong…it was awesome and part of the highlight reel of my life. I’m writing this because I’m wondering where that guy is today. No, not the guy I finished with on Vail Pass or the guy I passed on the way to Glenwood Canyon. I’m talking about me. I was 44 years old and running circles around guys in their 20’s.
For some reason, after the greatest running event of my life, I stopped. If I had kept it up, I might have been an elite runner by now. Instead, I’m a certain number of pounds heavier and one and a half minutes per mile slower.
Can we go back?
You and me. Can we go back to what we used to be? You don’t have to be older to ask this question. Can you go back to the wild dreamer you once were? Can you accomplish the goals that you once had?
Perhaps life and responsibility overcame those dreams and goals. But it’s not all bad, right? As long as we don’t become like Uncle Rico1 and spend our days reminiscing about the old days.
Many of my plans and goals have simply changed over time. What I once aspired to was good and got me so far, but just naturally shifted over time. One pursuit led to a different one. It’s not as though I abandoned the dream. It simply grew with me over time as I grew on an emotional and spiritual level.
So no, we can’t always go back. It’s not always right or even possible to go back to the dreams of our younger selves. But that’s ok as long as we’re still setting goals and working toward them.
A Spirit that Dreams
Sometimes we may find ourselves devoid of any dream. Life and responsibility may have taken them away. While that’s understandable, it’s also a tragic place where some can find themselves.
Of course you have a family that depends on you. Of course you need to pay the mortgage and save for retirement. These are absolutely necessary priorities.
The point is not always to go back to the dreams of yesteryear, but to reclaim a spirit that dreams. You used to dream. You used to aspire to something big. Can you get yourself back to a place of pursuing that again?
Just say it
If you had a dream, what would it be? If you had a big, fat, crazy goal, what is it?
Say it out loud.
Just do it
What is one decision you need to make to take a step toward that dream? Maybe it’s not even a step at this point, but a turn of your head in that direction.
You don’t even need to make the decision yet. Just identify it.
I would counsel against quitting everything right now and diving into blogging about butterflies. But if that’s what you want to do, what is the first decision you need to make to responsibly get you there?
Move Forward
Make the decision and act on it. It can be a small start. In fact, that is often the best start. Once that decision has been fully executed, move on to the next one.
I don’t run half-marathons at an 8:30 pace anymore. Instead of 13.1, I’m more of a 3.1 guy these days. But it would be great to run another half. I’m not that guy anymore, but I’m working toward being today’s version of that guy.
Remember this…
You don’t have to have every step figured out before you start taking them.
Maybe you need to write that down and tape it to your bathroom mirror. I realize that some people have an intense need to have every question answered. Okay, just don’t let unanswered questions keep you from starting. Sometimes there are no answers until you get down the road a little. Just keep moving as you ask the questions.
I’m with you in this! I’m here if you would like some accountability! Feel free to contact me if you need help getting started. Helping people get started is what I do!
Cheering you on.
Uncle Rico is a character in the movie, Napoleon Dynamite. If you’ve not seen it, watch it tonight! Hess, Jared. Napoleon Dynamite. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2004.
