This is a marathon, not a sprint.
Though I’ve never run a marathon, I do know a bit about them. Organizers build in supports for the runners. They have hydration stations, sometimes food available along the way. They have medical teams on hand in case something goes awry. They do this because a marathon is hard on the body. It is a prolonged stress.
When runners cross the finish line, they are fatigued, drained. Some need help standing or walking. At the Columbus marathon, runners are offered solar blankets to help keep their bodies from going into shock. Marathons push the human body. Sometimes, something that is amiss in the body will reveal itself. Wounds that didn’t reveal themselves before, when the body is stressed, will reveal themselves.
Marathons are things done in groups. People train individually, sometimes with a few others. When the big day comes, the runner joins others and pushes themselves to go the full distance. Running with others is helpful. When I used to run distance, having the others around was encouraging. The other runners helped me to keep going.
Most of the training for marathons is not to run marathons. The 26.2 miles is built up to gradually. The days leading up to the race are less intense, to give the body rest to go into the challenge. The day of, the push is to run the full distance at a particular pace.
This global pandemic is a marathon, not a sprint.
It is a marathon none of us trained for. Few, if any, of us have intentionally built our resilience for prolonged isolation. We are not gathering in groups as we normally do. We don’t have the in-person interactions that are so life-giving, that help keep us moving. For some, wounds that had not previously reveled themselves are becoming apparent.
Given all this, it makes sense that things are hard right now. It makes sense if we do not have the same energy and focus as before. We are experiencing collective, long-term stress. We have been in this for a while now, and it seems we are beginning to shift from our initial sense of urgency and panic into a new normal. We are settling into a pace.
COVID-19 did not have an organizer to set up hydration stations or medical support. We have had to scramble for these as best we can. My “hydration stations” have been writing, getting outside and weeding, taking regular walks. My “medical support” has been honest conversations with friends, meditation and reflection, video chatting with my nephews.
I am curious what you have found helpful in this time. What helps you stay refreshed? What gives you renewed energy for the journey? How are your wounds being tended?
May you find in this season water for the journey, and spiritual food, renewal and skillful tending of your heart. Blessings and peace to you,
Rachael