There is an underlying purpose and meaning behind my training, always. It isn't about the next race or the next workout. It's about fitness and fortitude for the next test around the corner that I cannot see. Everyone will face a challenging experience, whether we want to acknowledge its inevitability or not—the doctor calls to say he needs to discuss the test results in person, or a police officer has news at the front door, or you find a lump in your breast, or you lose your job, or your child is diagnosed with something, or your spouse walks out the door. When my next moment comes, I want to be strong and centered enough to handle it with some measure of grace. But perhaps even more importantly, I want to be fast enough to be first on the scene when a loved one needs me, and I want to be fit enough to help carry their load for as long as it takes to reach the other side.
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Fortitude. Such an obscure word these days. But fortitude is one of the four cardinal virtues since the time of Plato (the others being prudence, justice and temperance). Fortitude is the virtue that allows us to overcome fear and to remain steady in our will in the face of obstacles. Fortitude is the word to describe the early Christians willing to give their lives rather than to renounce their faith. Fortitude is what enables our migrant forefathers to cope with poverty and losses. They persevered with courage and determination.
Running fosters fortitude. Fortitude to break the one minute mile, to go sub-3 (or sub-5 in my case), to head out with our sneakers regardless of fatigue or mood. And of course, fortitude for the next test round the corner, whatever that may be.
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