Bank of Badass

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” - Jack London

Yesterday’s run: the second of two back-to-back 12 milers. In the morning, we were up early to watch the F1 Grand Prix in Monaco. And then, afterwards, after the usual amount of dithering, out the door to do my run. My motivation to go out and run was low, both because I was tired and because it was raining. This was not a ‘water is dribbling out of the sky’ Pacific Northwest drizzle. This was steady hard rain, occasionally easing to moderate rain.

I ended up running 10 miles in the rain, getting back to the car with my fingers too cold to work right. Then I came home, had a cup of tea to warm up, and then ground out another two miles on the treadmill to hit the day’s distance.

During the run I was listening to a podcast interview of Derek Sivers, and the topic of inspiration came up. Sivers talked about how inspiration was something that didn’t come to you, but instead something you have to meet halfway. It reminded me of my favorite London quote, above.

There are times when I can see the tough run ahead. That’s the time to remind myself that the tough runs are the ones where I build the fortitude I’ll need to draw on out past mile 80, when the wheels come off and everything hurts and I just can’t imagine how I can make it to the end.

Inspiration didn’t meet me halfway yesterday. But today I’m glad to have put in the effort yesterday, glad to have made a modest deposit in the Bank of Badass so that I can make a withdrawal in August at Hamster Endurance.