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DIRECTION

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One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.

"I don't much care where--" said Alice.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.

"--so long as I get somewhere,"  Alice added as an explanation.

"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."

Each time we begin a journey, we need to know where we're going so we can make a plan. Even though in the end it is the journey itself that changes us, the destination is the driving force, usually because of a goal we have set for ourselves, a dream, or a passion. The Cheshire cat wasn't being entirely literal when he asked Alice "where" she was going.  Because "where" isn't always a place on the map. Where are you going with your career choice, or your educational pursuits? Where are you going with your health and fitness goals? Where are you going with your personal relationships?   The answers to those questions will help your path become clearer and give you a greater sense of direction. Why is direction important?  It helps you keep your focus. It helps you to be more intentional. Having a clear direction can keep us from getting off course and causing us to move in the opposite direction of where we want to "get to."

In running, as in life, we set goals for ourselves. We have a destination, whether it's the 25K River Bank Run, a marathon, qualifying for Boston, or maybe running an ultramarathon. But we don't go into it blindly. We know we can't just "walk long enough" until we get somewhere, like Alice. We choose our own direction. Then we make a plan, organize our schedules, make sacrifices, prepare ourselves for detours, keep a positive attitude, use our support systems, and along the way we learn how to dig deep to find that inner strength that we desperately need to get through the tough times. 

For those of you who are running your first 25K, there may be days ahead that feel particularly challenging as you move up in mileage. During those times, keep focused on "where" you are going. Your first thought might be that "where" is the finish line of the Fifth Third River Bank Run. While technically that's true,"where" is also the direction, or path, you are taking to get there. It is along this path that you will build confidence, acquire greater faith in yourself, and discover strength to do things that you may not have thought were possible before. During a conversation with the White Queen, Alice stated that "one can't believe impossible things," to which t he White Queen exclaimed, "I daresay you haven't had much practice. . . . Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!"  Like the White Queen, we can practice focusing our thoughts in a positive direction until ultimately we believe in ourselves.

Whatever your destination, in running or in life, decide "where" you're going, and determine the best direction to get there. And just maybe get up one morning and "believe in six impossible things before breakfast!"