I once met a person on a business trip in Minnesota back in 1991 that said to me, “There is a fine line between pleasure and pain.” I don’t remember the context, but the line stuck with me. I found it amusing and TRUE.
This morning two of my workout soulmates, Peter Bates and Jordan Grable, joined me for an intense workout at the local high school.
We did a string of different exercises (i.e. push up position going up stairs backwards, sprinting up hills, etc.) and the final exercise of the set was a quarter mile sprint.
After nearly an hour, we were wrapping up the workout with the final quarter mile sprint.
I don’t know when the last time you sprinted ¼ mile was, but it is an intense pain to go unaerobic for less than 90 seconds as you do what for me is virtually an all out sprint around the track.
You start the lap, and try to find a sprinting speed. You feel strong, but in your mind the question you are asking yourself is, “Can I hold this speed around the entire track?”.
Your legs are strong, and initially you are thinking, “heck how could I not be able to do anything for less than 2 minutes?”.
Your arms are pumping and you hit the halfway mark.
“Half lap to go, and you are out of breath.”
It starts to get hard. You are gasping for air.
“Only half lap to go!”
“I don’t think I have half a lap in me.”
“I think I need to stop.”
“I wish I was in better shape.”
“There is just over 30 seconds left…”
“Come On!”
“You are doing it… Hang on… You can do it!”
“I don’t know if I can… I cant breathe.”
“This hurts!”
“This sucks!”
“Maybe I can pick up a little more speed?”
“Are you CRAZY… my heart is in my throat.”
“I am nauseas.”
“I think I am going to throw up.”
“Ok, one quarter lap left…”
“I can do it.”
“Pick up the speed!”
“I can’t”
“Wow, I have a little more in me.”
“Last 100 yards… YOU ARE THERE!”
“Finish strong!”
“I am definitely throwing up!”
“Last 20 yards!”
And, then you cross the line. There is a complete release of exhaustion. I am gasping for air. I can’t breathe. It’s OVER!
It’s OVER!!!
“Wow, that felt GOOD!”
REALLY????
That is truly the type of sequence of events that goes through my head in that final half a lap.
In the last 40 seconds – I live 100 moments. Moments of extremes. On days where I am feeling strong… the majority of thoughts are proud, confident, and I run faster. On days like today, when I have a little stomach ache (too much hot sauce yesterday) I am struggling and the “LINE” between pleasure and pain is thin.
I am running and tripping all over it.
And yet, I am mindful of it.
I have very occasionally stopped in one of those sprints. I have occasionally slowed down in the final half a lap, or the final quarter lap. And, that leads to a different kind of pain – to disappointment…
What does this have to do with HARMONY?
This is harmony… in those 100 moments… I am trying to embrace the truth that I am indeed tired, and I can indeed finish the lap… and actually pick up the pace. But, that truth requires me to accept that I am in pain, and I am gasping for air, and that there is still more left in me.”
It intrigues me – the conversation that I have with myself. It’s always animated and intense on sprints.
And, I can feel it in my legs. I know that when my brain gives up, my legs follow. I know that when my brain is strong, my legs will follow.
I can feel the difference in my legs, in my confidence, in my strength between the moment where I say to myself, “I can’t finish” and in the moment that I say, “Oh yes you can”.
I can sense the difference when I can string those moments together and find another gear and a faster speed.
It’s the same muscles… working differently.
In all cases I am exhausted… In some of those moments I am wishing it was over. I am wishing it didn’t hurt so much. I am wishing I was fitter and faster… and giving up seems so crazy tempting. In other moments, I am wanting to finish strong. I am wanting to barrel through the pain and feel the pride. I am wanting to prove to myself that I can. And, giving up seems completely foreign.
A small glimpse at an intense and very real kind of harmony.
It’s not about pretending that you are not tired, that you are not feeling ill, that you are in better shape, that you are not in pain… Those things are the truth. It’s about focusing your mind on wanting versus wishing. It’s about channeling your energy into those difficult moments into the reality that you seek so committedly.
And, when you finish… you can celebrate, albeit exhausted and in pain. I am grateful to be able to run. Grateful that my legs work, that my muscles are strong, that I have the time, the flexibility, the will, the friends, the desire, the ambition to run. Those things are all part of the absolute truth... they are the part that makes me NEVER want to quit.
It’s exactly like harmony in life. Gratitude is the ultimate motivator.
FINISH STRONG! Run mindful of harmony!
Living mindful of harmony!
Nestor