Doing the Hard Things

In It for Life: Maximizing Longevity
By Tim Lybarger

“I’m at the point where I don’t need to do the easy things.
I need to do the hard things to keep me in shape.
I figure I just have to keep running whether I like it, or not.
‘Cause, I know when I stop running, that’ll be the end of me.”
– Bob Hayes, 89-year old runner (The Hard Way Documentary, 4:08)

Once Again, a Runner
My marathon training schedule was for 12 weeks of gradually increasing mileage, broken up with some speed work to build aerobic capacity. The reality is that I had already been training for the better part of a year, just to get to where it was a possibility.

Starting out in June of 2021, injuries kept me from doing a solid two miles, but I found the right chiropractor and, with effort, had resolved most of the issues. My goal: to qualify for, and run, the 2023 Boston Marathon at age 70. To do that, I would need to finish a qualifier marathon (a certified 26.2-mile course) in four hours and 20 minutes or less. Yes, I had run 13 marathons in my 50s, but now I was 69 and it had been 10 years since my last one. 

Was I crazy? Maybe, but something deep inside told me that unless I committed to doing this hard thing, I would, by default, be committing myself to a physical decline that would end up being much harder in the long run.  

2022 Canton Hall of Fame Marathon
The first 15 miles were right on pace at 9:28 per mile. Then my body rebelled. The course had long, sloping hills with little shade and the temperature was now heading toward 80 degrees — this, after training all winter in snow and freezing conditions. From mile 15 to 20 I resorted to a run/walk. The last six miles, all I could do was push to get a fast walk. I wasn’t alone. A number of fellow walkers were seasoned marathoners, stricken down by the conditions. 

It was hard – damn hard. But I finished. The clock registered 5:15:50 as I crossed the finish line. It was of some comfort to see that I had finished fifth out of eight in my age bracket (men aged 65-69) and that I was within 10 minutes of the two who finished just before me.

I had done the hard thing, and as a result, I am in better physical condition than I’ve been for the last decade. And in the process, I’ve learned a lot about myself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. 

Looking Back and Ahead
In May of 2018, Bob Hayes (quoted above) died in his sleep at the age of 91. He had begun running at the age of 66 and competed in running races right up until the age of 90. He’d never spent a night in the hospital until the last month of his life.

We all need to be able to explain “the why” of it all. It’s pretty simple, actually. As Bob has said; “By the time I finish the race, I’ll be really glad that I did it.”

Will you be glad about the race you’ve run — the life you lived? Guarantee it by committing to doing the hard things — starting right now!

My next marathon is September 10th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. That’s 18 weeks out. Look out, Boston! I’ll be more ready for this one.