Over the last few weeks, running has been hard.  To be honest, running rarely can be characterized as “easy”, but a good run flows and has purpose and passion.   I have a bucketful of reasons to explain this, but the end result is still the same;   a tired, achy body and motivation that has fled the premises.

As I jogged down the canal trail this morning, I happened to glance over and see my shadow in the dirt.  The silhouette reflected a humped back, scrunched shoulders, and bowed head.  That caught my attention.   I immediately threw my shoulders back, straightened my core, lifted my head and opened up my stride.   Within minutes, I felt energized.   My pace picked up and the endorphins that have carried me through countless miles of running came flooding in.   A lousy run turned into a pretty decent one.

As I reflected on this, the theme in my head was “I know better”.   The mind and body are inextricably linked.   I had allowed the overwhelming nature of what is happening in the world to take control of my mind.   I had assumed a posture of defense;   protect yourself from getting hurt as best you can, and just endure.  When, in fact, the best thing you can do is throw your shoulders back, breathe deep, and keep your eyes on the goal.  Adopt a posture of offense, not defense.   Defense may win football games, but it produces timid runners.

Nor will a defensive posture win this current war we are waging.  We have to isolate ourselves physically, but we don’t have to isolate mentally or emotionally.  I’ll never forget the lesson I learned in New Zealand when crossing a turbulent river that came up to our waists.  Our guide had us lock arms and cross in a diagonal pattern.   Her admonition was very clear:  at all costs, do not let go of each other.   Together you’ll make it, by yourself you will drown.

I’m a practical person, though prone to injured cliches and an unshakable conviction that most of us have good intentions.   I know my running epiphany will not stop this dread virus in its tracks, nor grease the wheels that need to deliver critical resources to a reeling nation.   The challenges are legion.  Our best chance to beat this is to lock arms by harnessing our collective skills and intelligence and cross the river together.

At least, that’s the way I see it.