By Barbara Berkeley
My sports hero LeBron James was named Most Valuable Player of the 2008-2009 NBA season. The Cavs dominated round one of the NBA playoffs and focused with laser-like intensity on their new opponents, the Atlanta Hawks. In the second round, they have already gone up 2 games to none and thus far, it hasn’t been close.
A few nights ago, Don and I were at the game as we watched the Cavs battle out to a 39- point lead. As it turns out, last night’s decisive victory was particularly sweet because it came on—to the day – the 20th anniversary of “The Shot.” As I’ve mentioned before, The Shot happened when Michael Jordan sank Cleveland’s hopes of winning a championship by hitting a basket at the buzzer of a crucial game. (A link to video of The Shot is found in the LeBron and the Art of Weight Maintenance post). Thanks to a combination of talent and determination, things couldn’t be more different for the Cavs now. The Shot is being avenged.
The 2009 Cavaliers have clearly stated their goal: to win the NBA championship. That goal has almost taken on a life of its own. Our arena provides fan with “rally towels” imprinted with the “One Goal” logo and t-shirts that boldly state the same thing. The motto is plastered all over the Cavs website. As a result of this Cavs season, I’ve become a big fan of goals. Their public proclamation propels the goal-setter forward. But stating a goal requires fearlessness. What if you fail?
Like my beloved Cavaliers, I’m trying to ignore the possibility of failure and focus on moving along my own path. Out on the country roads about 35 minutes from Quicken Loans Arena, a scrawny, puffing, yet determined figure can be seen plodding along the asphalt. That would be me trying to channel LeBron’s spirit in my quest for “runnerhood.” So far so good. I’m almost done with Week 3 of the Couch to 5K program.
Since that first week a lot has happened. I bought a pair of running shoes. I started wearing running pants that don’t chafe. I figured out that my MP3 player was no good for exercise when it started skipping and resetting. Thanks to one of those technically savvy sales techs at Best Buy, I found out that I needed an MP3 player that had a “flash” mechanism, not a hard drive. I bought a small iPod and learned how to use it. (Imagine! I actually figured out what the circle thing on the front does!!! ) I also learned how to use iTunes, how to download my running podcasts and how to buy other music. I started looking for all my favorite songs…especially those from albums and CDs that had disappeared during various moves or between the cracks of car seats or who knows where else. (The only thing that disappears more frequently in my life than CDs are earrings….I only have one of each.) I figured out which roads stayed flat around my house and which ones would rise annoyingly just as Michael Ullrey’s voice told me it was time to “run.” I found out that I needed an elastic band to go around my arm so that I wouldn’t have to hold my iPod. I discovered that I couldn’t hear cars coming with my headphones on so it was better for me to run against the direction of traffic. In other words, on a very low level, my new journey allowed me to start learning the basics of running.
But what have I learned about running itself? At week three, I certainly haven’t learned that I love it. But a small crack has opened and here’s what it is. I can feel that I might get to the point where running would be effortless. I can feel that if I do get to that point, I might very well love it.
Believe me, I’m far from that moment now. It still hurts to run. I’m still breathing hard and it still feels like the road surface is jolting me with every bound. But this week I had a funny new experience. A few times, during my longer stretches of running, my mind travelled away from what I was doing. I started looking at the trees and the gorgeous clouds and a few birds that chased me. I noticed a Canadian goose perched on top of a house like a weather vane. Then it all snapped back and I felt my right hamstring and my ankles banging around and I wondered when I would get the cue to stop running and take a break. Later on, though, I couldn’t get the goose moment out of my mind. I wanted to repeat that feeling. I almost wanted to go out for another run and see whether I could get there if I went out again. But I decided to follow the protocol and take a rest day. Nevertheless, for five or ten seconds, I’d had a glimpse of the place I needed to head for. It was curious. And very motivating.
These goals we set. They are kind of fascinating aren’t they? By moving toward an endpoint, we force ourselves to experience a new journey. I hope that your travels are taking you along new roads of your own creation. I will continue to report on the scenery that lines mine.