The Wall

I'm training for a race this summer. It's a small race but I'm a big woman - I am wanting to get into racing and I must do so slowly. So, the last few days I've been walking a mile... increasing the pace, walking more... Anyone who knows anything about endurance training knows there is "the wall" - the place you get where you think you just can't go no more.... Your legs burn, your chest hurts, the air you breathe seems cold... sweat is pouring down your face and you think you just... can't... go... one... more.... step. Then, if you are strong enough, you push through... you just say "one more" .. then "one more" again .. then you try to set a small goal of 10 more steps.. just 10 more. If I can do 10 more steps then I have won - once those 10 have been taken, just 10 more... that is how I get through "The Wall."

The wall is applicable to more than just training to run a race...

In November of 2009 I started an afghan for my son. Because of finals and Christmas (read as: easily distracted) I just haven't had an opportunity to finish the afghan. I have set this as my goal for the end of January 2010. I want to finish this afghan. The afghan "pattern" is not difficult - but double crocheting an entire afghan is insane. The overall look is good - but unlike a scarf, I find myself counting how many rows I have left before looping in the black... 5 or 6 times before every turn and at every turn. There is no way to get my mind off of "when will this end..."

The Wall, oddly enough, is more devastating to my crochet projects than running on the treadmill. It makes no sense. Physical pain cannot (or at least should not) compare to the blah that goes into repeating the double crochet a few thousand times.

I don't know - what I do know is that I have about 2 feet left and only 14 days left in January.

I guess I had better put the laptop to the side.

I have a wall to climb.