Endurance

What is the personality trait that all consistently successful endurance runners have?  (I highlight the word consistently because as you may know anyone, even a lazy, undedicated, 7th grade girl can have a jaw dropping race or season or two before realizing the importance of hard work)  It may sound obvious, but I'm going to go with endurance. 
  
en·dur·ance, noun ;

The ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina

Sure there are plenty of desirable traits for success in running, like courage, self-confidence, discipline, optimism, ambition, and unwavering faith, but weaknesses in any of these areas can be made up with the ability to endure.  All respectable runners no matter their flaws have a stick-to-itness that make them great. 

It is something you're born with, but also its something you develop and grow, and it's something that never ceases to be tested...Can you go that extra mile? Can you find one more gear? Can you get out of bed and out the door each and every day?  Endurance is the 3rd lap of a mile, miles 20-through 25 of a marathon, a 70 mile week during the dog days of summer, a snowy long run in April,  The tenth 200 heat during a cold and rainy Thursday night track meet ;)  Endurance doesn't always come easy but for some (the craziest among us) it often does.  Lap three is where they thrive.  Its were they finally have a shot to break those more physically talented.  I believe endurance is directly correlated to passion.  By passion I mean the intense relationship with the sport, sharing all the same qualities of true love like "when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.” Chris ~ age 7  and "what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri ~ age 4.

Part of endurance and love is the ability to forgive and forget.  There was an interesting article in Runner's World highlighting ultra-endurance runner Diane Van Deren whose brain surgery to remove part of her temporal lobe and hippocampus allowed her an extraordinary ability to forget previous pain and live/run in the moment.  Like running lap three without the doubts and insecurities of laps one and two.  Click here to read her story.

By no means do runners and endurance athletes have a monopoly on this invaluable trait.  In fact, it is the very characteristic we celebrate this holy week. While I confess the whole saving us from sin thing still confuses me, I completely understand the act of enduring sacrifice in The Passion of Christ.  For me Jesus's death and resurrection symbolize a love so deep that he could endure physical and mental abuse and betrayal and still carry his own cross and remain resolute.  Though Jesus was killed, he could not die. To this day he still remains in the hearts of Christians and non-Christians alike, still enduring, still inspiring passion and love.

Happy Easter!

Chasing always,

Laura