It's a bit of a trip, re-reading this, and considering how far I've come again, since June... pretty cool.
___________________________________________________________________Recently a fellow classmate commented that graduate school is a marathon, not a sprint, as it is indeed not for the weak. It is a true test of endurance and requires a special ability to stay the course. I continued to ruminate on this idea afterward, and began to understand how truly accurate such a statement is.
About 5 months ago, I began running. Now, I had made several half-hearted attempts at developing an exercise regimen, but those typically fizzled out midway through workout number one. But for some reason, I felt compelled to be more disciplined and really do it this time! I was fortunate to have my best friend, Christina, to help me out. She happily became my personal coach and cheerleader, designing a training schedule that even I could follow.
The running started very slow at first, not unlike how the beginning of graduate school was for most of us – at least as far as our comfort level was concerned. We were unsure of out footing, our ability, our credentials for even being here at all! But after a few months, and eventually with a few quarters under our belts, we began to feel more confident about the stride we were hitting, and began to challenge ourselves further, much the way my training went from half-mile runs to 4 or 5 mile runs multiple times a week!
Even as we began to feel more qualified and comfortable in our new role as students and professionals, there were indeed some tough choices to be made. To be sure, running and graduate school are individual pursuits. Both can sometimes take you along a solitary road if your family and friends are not on it with you, making it difficult at times to choose between spending time with them or working toward your goal. Thankfully, however, you are not completely alone. This unique and intense experience creates a tremendous bond with the others who are along the route, and even if you only ever knew a person's name, you will always know that person traveled a parallel path with you along this amazing journey, and you both ended up at the finish line.
The course requires prior preparation by others, like faculty and staff or race organizers, to provide accurate information about paper criteria and midterm guidelines or elevation gains and road conditions. Much behind the scenes work must happen, to ensure the copies are made, the water stations are available along the way, and that the requisite amount of cheerleaders are there along the way to keep you inspired to continue.
As you look around you at the people along the course with you, you can't help but notice that some people seems to complete it effortlessly, without so much as breaking a sweat. Others seem to struggle throughout, battling aches and pains, roadblocks, and any number of other obstacles along the way. Some days the last thing you want to do is work toward your goal, and other days you feel strong, efficient, and inspired to tackle whatever task awaits your best effort. Indeed, at times your best-laid plans to maintain an 8 minute mile pace or complete a 20-page paper ahead of schedule are thwarted half a mile into a run, or two sentences in the paper. It could be due to a leg cramp or writer's block, a serious injury or a personal crisis, or simply an offer to do something that is exponentially more "fun" and less "work." Other days, however, you may surprise yourself with an A on a paper you weren't so sure about, or completing a run in a personal record time, and you remember why you began pursuing this goal in the first place.
Despite the challenges inherent in such a pursuit, there are many upsides as well. Often you unwittingly inspire others to join in your new lifestyle, and find yourself inspired once again in your own quest for personal growth. I experienced this in both areas, as two close friends of mine began graduate school after I did, and a couple of my friends have come to me for help on how to begin their own running regimen!!
Everyone starts at the same starting line, all with different levels of training and preparation. As such, while the final destination may be the same, the speed or overall experience is going to be unique to each person along the course. I cannot say that my experience at Loma Linda was the same as anyone else's in our program, but I do know that I did my best to continue growing, even against some tremendous personal odds. Last Saturday I completed my first half-marathon and am looking toward completing a full marathon in November. As I am completing my Master's degree, I am also beginning to look at what educational pursuit I was consider next, either a doctorate or a law degree. As I crossed the finish line on Saturday with Christina by the side for the entire 13 miles, I was overcome with happiness, pride, and shock, in levels I had never experienced before. On the verge of tears, I began a cool down walk, and within a few minutes, I had a thought…. "That really wasn't bad at all! I could totally do that again!"
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