Laurel Slyck- Please go for a run with me!
If you follow me on Facebook, you already know I like to write. And sometimes it can get lengthy... not sorry. I just have a lot to say and a lot I feel. No wonder people (men) say I'm a lot.
But anyways... I decided to launch this blog because of this book. It was my first book of this round of 75 Hard. I unfortunately (sorry Laurel) relate to her memoir WAY too much. From being a runner, to a mom, to an eating disorder, to controlling relationships, to alcoholism. Yeah- you read those right. There was just so much I wanted to say about her book and so little characters allowed on Facebook.
SOOOO...
I actually told one of my clients within the first couple chapters of this book, "I don't know what this book even is. But it is not what I thought it was." This was not in a good way. But then a week later, I told my client, "Oh my... I have never related to a book so much in my life. It's like she wrote this about me, not her."
But here is the biggest part about this book that I loved- Laurel, unless my googling skills are below par, you my friend are low key. She is not the 1 million follower influencer repping every fitness company out there. She is a mom, actually becomes a single mom within the pages of the book, with a hella career (not in fitness), and is just like me and you. And through running, she was able to survive some honestly messed up situations.
WEIRD.. Me too Laurel.
But today, I'm going to just take one piece of this book and discuss it.
Light Pole to Light Pole.
I oddly finished this book on the same day I had to rush to Des Moines after work to replace the 3 dead fish (we only had 3) in our tank before my oldest son got back from his dads. Story for another day. But when I was in Des Moines, I took the time to head to Greys Lake for my outdoor workout. This is where my first runs were back in 2012. Did you know that I did not take off and run one time around the lake? Wild I know. I was huffing and puffing BUT there is one technique I used, just like Laurel... Pole to Pole.
"Ok Presley, run to the next pole and we can walk to the next." My runs went on like this for awhile, until before I knew it, I was making it one time around the lake. Then two times around the lake. But my pole-to-pole technique never ended there. Still to this day, I use it just in different aspects.
I still use it in running. Wednesday, I took off on a 13.1 mile run. (MOTHER NATURE NEEDS TO GET IT TOGETHER. That fall cool down can come any day now PLEASE.) I hit a wall at mile 11. But in my head, "Ok Presley. Run to that tree. Then you can walk to that tree." And before I knew it, 13.1 was done. As a pretty experienced runner, this is what I tell people to do all the time that want to start running, "Run a block, walk a block. Run to this, walk to that. Keep looking ahead and telling yourself you will run to this 'structure' before you will walk." And before you know it, you are running a mile before you need to walk or even more.
But this also relates to life.
You don't set a goal and wake up tomorrow with it accomplished. You don't go through a traumatic, life altering experience, and wake up the next day healed.
You don't get to skip light pole 1 through 9 on your way to 10.
You have to keep looking ahead and telling yourself, "Once I get here, I can go there next." You have to endure the process and push through every obstacle to get to the end.
And friends, that is what I love about running long distances. It's not necessarily the miles ran, it is the obstacles I have to push through to earn those miles.
So thank you Laurel, wherever you are, for being so real and honest in your memoir. Your story had me reflecting on all of the things that have happened in my life and how running has helped me push through those hardships. It gave me my inner strength too.
-Presley Kay
Click HERE for a link to her book on Amazon.
