So recently my twin bother and I ran a half marathon. It was the American Fork Canyon Half Marathon, which goes from Tibble Fork Reservoir in American Fork Canyon down to American Fork High School. Here's a map!:
The "good" thing about this half marathon is that it's mostly down hill. Here's the elevation map:
Those of us with iffy knees are thinking "That's not good..." but it does make it easier to run faster!
The best part of this? I beat my goal of 2 hours 10 minutes. Sure, that time, while decent, isn't even close to the winner of the race.
The crazy part? My brother and I are going to try a full marathon next year. Yes, we are crazy.
Now you're probably all wondering what this has to do with writing. At face value, it doesn't. You can't write while running. Trust me. It's even hard to think about your WIP while running. However, we can make a parallel!
First, running 13.1 miles isn't easy for all of us. Writing also isn't easy for all of us.
Second, running 13.1 miles is rewarding. Writing is also rewarding.
Third, I set a goal for myself that I was sure I could reach, with some effort. We can set writing goals that we can reach, with some effort.
Forth, running 13.1 miles is hard, especially towards the end. Writing a book takes effort, especially towards the end! (The beginning and middle can also be effort-full!)
I've decided I need to apply this to my writing.
So let us run and write!
Thanks for the post, Kevin! Yes, you are crazy. I don't know if they have any roads long enough for marathons here on Oahu. I think 26 miles would get me all around the island. Okay, maybe not quite.
ReplyDeleteBut I did meet someone at WIFYR who writes while on his treadmill. Not running, of course, but walking.
I like how you compare writing a novel to running a marathon. You have to train for it. And work your way up to it. One mile a day, then five, then ten, and then you're ready to race.
If I COULD write while running, I would consider being a runner. :-) But since I can't, the only marathon I'm gonna do is the writing kind. :-) Great post!
ReplyDeleteHey, Kevin, congratulations on the half marathon, and wow, you two are going for a full marathon?! What a great goal. I love the way you tied it into writing. We hit some serious creative and emotional exhaustion as we head into the back half of our stories. But the euphoria of reaching the end is worth it all! Thanks for a creative post!
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