The Journey Begins Again

Another step toward 1,000 miles

Photo by Yux Xiang on Unsplash

Start Small to Do Something Big

A Thousand Miles from Nowhere

I'm a thousand miles from nowhere
Time don't matter to me
'Cause I'm a thousand miles from nowhere
And there's no place I wanna be

Song by Dwight Yokum

---

The Journey Begins

My nose was congested to the point each breath was an exercise in determination. The sun had abandoned me behind the clouds, winds howled, and the cold invaded my bones.

It was the first run of the new year and even with the cold, it felt good to move. To experience being outside and running for the first time in weeks.

---

Been Down This Road Before

For the previous three years, I’ve set an intention to run 1,000 miles in the calendar year.

That’s a long way to go. It requires averaging 2.74 miles each and every day.

In this case, it’s an intention because it’s not a goal. It’s not a have-to kind of thing. The desired outcome is to stay healthy. Running regularly keeps my body lean and fit.

Without that 1,000 miles out there, it is easy to take a day off and then another and then another. Knowing every day without a run leaves me 2.74 miles under 1,000 gets me off the couch and on the road.

Since I’ve accomplished 1,000 in the past three years and one other time before, you’d think it would be a piece of cake mentally.

As a former engineer, it won’t surprise you that the mileage is tracked in a spreadsheet.

I entered the 3.5 miles into the spreadsheet marking the first run. Then my eye caught the ‘Miles to Go’ column.

---

996.5

For a split second fearful thoughts taunted me as the enormity of the task struck me.

Then I reset and reminded myself that only the next mile matters. I don’t have to do 1,000 miles at all, let alone right now.

One day at a time.

I also reminded myself that I have a system in place to support me in running that distance, and I’ve done it before.

We all have those moments. The key is to avoid letting them stop us.

---

One Small Step

One way to do that is to frame the challenge in the smallest increment possible.

Sometimes even on an individual run, I will tell myself I only have to run the next mile.

Once I reach that mark, I commit only to running another mile, and so on. I typically finish 6 when the weather is nice, even on days where one mile seems enormous at the beginning.

---

Systems

Another is to set up a system that supports accomplishing what we set out to do—getting enough sleep, regular rest, equipment, and time.

I have a big enough window of time in the day and in the year to achieve 1,000 miles. By stretching myself with this landmark, I’ve forced myself to learn how my body works.

I can tell when I’m tired and need rest. I’ve also learned the signals when pushing myself harder is in order.

None of that came overnight. Part of understanding ourselves comes from doing things. In stretching ourselves and exploring, we learn what we are made of and what we can accomplish.

---

Finishing this, I see the sun is coming out—time to lace up the shoes and head out the door. This run is going to be fun.

---

🌀Reflection:

You may not be a runner and, even then, aren’t inclined to run 1,000 miles. That’s okay, as those are meant to be models of the approach.

📌 What in your life right now seems like a daunting task? Even if it is something you want.

🌱 How can you break it down into the smallest possible step?

🌱 What little thing could you do to start moving toward that outcome today?

🌱How might you set up a system to support you in this?