How far have they already run?

I’m training for a 1/2 Ironman…

I logged 7 miles before the treadmill timed out.  I suppose there’s legislation that requires fitness equipment to limit the amount of time one spends becoming fit.  This particular treadmill had a governor set to shut the machine down after 60 minutes.  I still had 4 miles to cover so I reset the machine, changed my iPod playlist over to ‘Songs for Suffering’, and drudged on.

Pain

The air was warm; I was drenched in sweat from head to toe.  The lactic acid built up in my legs from a long week of training was arguing with my will to finish strong, and the determined fire that burned in my eyes when I started was quickly fading into a desperate grimace.

Insult

After a quarter mile into the new segment of my run, I was joined by a fellow weekend warrior who took his place on the treadmill next to mine.  We made eye contact, he nodded, then glanced down at what appeared to be a measly ‘total distance’ reading on my monitor and flippantly commented:

“Wow. Didn’t take you much to work up a sweat, did it?”

After internalizing a few comments I wanted to make in return, I acted like my iPod was turned up too loud to hear him and just kept running. “If he only knew…”, I thought.

Perspective

As I settled in to finish my run I began to wonder, “How many times have I done the same thing to other people?”  Not in the gym, but in life.  I tend to criticize others without knowing everything they’ve been through.  Too often I focus on what has yet to be achieved instead of applauding people for the valiant efforts they’ve already made.  It’s tempting to hold people accountable to standards that are only achievable within the limited context of what we see.

I’m learning there is always more to the story.