6 miles in a snowstorm

Today I ran 6 miles in the first real snow of the season. As I looked outside and made the decision about whether or not to run, I knew I had to get the run done in order to get my total mileage in, but more importantly, I wanted to.

As I trudged out into the snow, started thinking about the second key to mastery in George Leonard's book. It's practice. Leonard points out that many times we use the word 'practice' as a verb. We practice an instrument, or practice a skill like running. We do it to improve ourselves or obtain a goal. If you want to run faster, well you are going to have to practice!

But when you think about 'practice' in terms of mastery, Leonard suggests it is useful to think of it as a noun. It's something you have or you are. I love this conceptualization: "...the word is akin to the Chinese word tao and the Japanese word do, both of which mean, literally road or path. Practice is path upon you travel" (pg.74).

Practice is something that is integral to your life, and you do it for it's own sake, not in order to gain something else. You may gather rewards along this path, and that is fine, but that is not the reason why you are on this journey.

Another secret Leonard tells us:"the people who are masters don't devote themselves to their particular skill just to get better at it. The truth is, they love to practice--and because of this they do get better" (pg. 75).

So, back to snow running. As I was running along, I saw a lady drive past me, and I literally saw her crane her head and laugh! I'm going to assume she didn't get it why I was out there, in the cold running along my path and that she was definitely NOT joining the practice of running (at least in the snow!)

Sometimes, people ask "How can your run so much? It's boring." "How did you get out there and run. In the snow like that!?" Usually my answer is "I just like it," or "I'm just used to it..." Not the best answer to help explain.

The truth is, running is my practice. It's integral to my life and a big part of who I am. I actually love the journey that is running. Sometimes it has up's and down's, and sometimes I am out alone in a snowstorm but that is part of the path. Practicing regularly at running has been there for me so long, it's a part of me--a reliable part that I know really well.

It probably wouldn't have hurt me to skip the run and stay warm inside today, but I think I would have missed the daily journey.