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| Navigational Art and Directions By Colleen Yorke, © 2015. |
Each mile serves a purpose. The
Romans were the first to recognize this. Stretching the miles across their vast
empire, they placed mile markers on the side of roads, at periodic intervals of 1000 footsteps apart, telling travelers how close they were to the next inn
or city. Remarkably, somewhere in Europe and in the Middle East, ancient mile
markers still exist, reminding of a time where all roads led to Rome.
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| Roman Mile marker. |
Running the miles, especially
when we are training for a race, can be an ultimate testing experience with
mixed messages of self-doubt, strength and self-assurance. “Go the extra mile.” Mentally we give
it our all – “We got to do this, we just got to” - while our bodies are begging
us to stop. Running can be fun – in a twisted, smile through the pain kind of
way – and we do get caught up in the spirit of competition, but there is more to
it than that. For me at least, in the long run, I latch on to something
internal, something that gets me out on the road in spite of a tight schedule,
unfriendly forecasts, or pain. For me, it is the journey.
Beyond counting down the miles, and
running from something or to something, it is what happens to us in between. Each
mile serves its unique purpose. I may not be there yet, but I am further than I
was yesterday, and I know in the end, after a colorful and rich journey, I’ll
discover something amazing: My very own road with a mile marker waiting for just
me.
