It’s funny how things come to me but I don’t take action until the universe throws something else in my face.

I’ve been thinking about this word, “enough”, for a few days now. But it wasn’t until I read Amy’s post about her struggling to find joy (or a reason to go on) after a grueling 192 or so miles that I thought today would be the prefect day to write it.

It’s such an individual word. We throw it around haphazardly like we do so many words (where the heck did “woke” come from and what does it mean – I guess i am too old).

But because it is so individually oriented, I think we lose sight of that and we go back to our default – the Comparison Game! That is always deadly and rarely has any long term positive effects. I mean, even the world class marathoner didn’t win the Boston Marathon yesterday (interesting question – did he lose it then? how do you lose something you finish? Alas, as usual, i am going down another rabbit hole. Sorry).

Why do we have such a hard time saying “enough”? Maybe we don’t define it for ourselves. We ignore it until we don’t “feel like” doing any more. But is that really “enough”? Next week will we still consider our decision correct because we acted on our feelings?

Can we define what “enough” means or will mean ahead of time? I think maybe that is part of why I’m being led to write this. I will have to define what “enough” is for me regarding my foot and my knee both BEFORE I would leave for Tennessee in July and also BEFORE I toe the start line. What will be “enough” pain? What will be “enough” internal struggle? We have to draw on our experiences to figure that out and what’s enough for me is not necessarily what’s enough for you. Most of all we have to steel ourselves against comparing my enough to your enough because that will only end in disappointment, discouragement, or worse yet, perhaps damage.

I am still second guessing my dropping in the Bloody 11W race last labor day. Why did I drop? Yes, my heart rate was way too high but what if i had taken a long rest somewhere? I had done 25 miles before sundown so I was actually on a good pace, but the fear (a feeling) overtook my rational mind as so often happens. I knew I had only had one iron infusion so I should have considered that I might have problems. I should have planned better but most of all I should have determined ahead of time what would be “enough”.

Take a look at your past and the times you, perhaps, didn’t do all you really wanted to. Did “enough” play into it? How can you use this word to your advantage in the future?

I guess this is “enough” for today!