Expect Nothing

Expect nothing… I heard a sports announcer the morning after one of Phelps’ swims say that we should expect nothing from him, so we aren’t disappointed if he doesn’t achieve what’s expected. Expect nothing and you won’t be disappointed. Expect nothing and you may just get surprised. Expect nothing and there’s nothing to look forward to, nothing to propel success. Although, I don’t think we should always expect that someone’s best will always be the same as what it had been four years ago. Expect nothing and you may just win.

Going into this week’s long run of 18 miles, I have to say, I was expecting nothing. I was tired, not mentally prepared & had been so nervous about last week’s 16 miler that, quite honestly, I thought if I got in a good 10, that would be alright by me. So, in that regard, it’s not that I expected nothing, but that I didn’t expect much…

These very hot days are really starting to become the norm around here & frankly, that’s ok to me. The only thing I worried about on what I thought would just be an ok run, was water. I mapped out my route to have water REFILLS every 2-2 ½ miles. The longest stretch would be the last 3 miles home. I set out maybe a touch fast, my 1^st 6 miles were all under 10 mins. I really hadn’t expected that, but I felt good.

Expect nothing and you may just get something. I had to have a water break at the VFW, Legion, not sure what its proper name is… I was just hoping there were people already drinking at 2:00 on a Wed. afternoon. Aaaaaaand, there were!!! God Bless the VFW! LOL! This break became a little long, because one of the men needed, really needed, to tell me about his daughter that had been in the Navy & how she is getting into Tris… ugh, ok. She had a name, which he told me, like he expected me to know her… I knew nothing. Anyway, when asked why I was running, I said I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon in Oct. At that point, one of the men offered to buy me a beer. This idea was quickly squelched by one of the other men, he apologized for the man & said, “She’s training!!” Uh… I kinda wanted the beer. Alas, I settled for an electrolyte tab in m’water... The beer’s not something I expected to be offered, but it was a winning idea in my book.

I was feeling pretty ok during most of this run… until… I expected I would finish strong & expected the route I mapped out was a good one & expected I could run this bad boy of a run with not too many issues. I EXPECTED wrong… The last mile was THE WORST MILE IN HISTORY!!!! I became very nauseous, ran out of water, started  to see beeeeeeuatiful blue & red stars & in general, had a nervous breakdown. I walked up a hill (both ways, in the snow) & planted myself in the shade of some trees. At said shady break, I called for help. What a shame I had come all that way & now how to quit was my reaction. Then my reaction was, “THE HELL I’VE DONE ALL THIS WORK & HAVE TO QUIT!” Then my reaction was, “Oh my God, I’ve come all this way, practically collapsed under these trees & am literally being eaten ALIVE by a pile of ants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Just my luck! I should’ve expected that!

Not to be defeated & not to go down without a fight, I stumbled back onto the road, determined to drag my own damn self home. I think I sniffled sad tears a few times, before remembering a nearby neighborhood & their LIFE SAVING POOL!!!!!!!!!! I got to the pool & low & behold there was not only one water fountain, but TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn’t expect that. :D When this crazy run was finished, I was proud to say, I managed 18.63 miles, something I hadn’t expected. I even managed a 2 miler yesterday & a 3 miler today. Not bad for this girl, something I wouldn’t have ever expected…

With great expectations can certainly come great disappointment. But with great expectations, there can also be a fire lit from within one’s self. Expect nothing and you may just get something great. But if you always expect nothing, you’ll never have something great to work toward & what a great disappointed that would be.

Get out there, stay safe & hydrated & happy running y’all!