When is it ok to back off, reset, and rethink?
A letter from Murray Bruce.
A letter from Murray Bruce.
At Running for Resilience we talk a lot about fortitude. Getting back up and persisting. Putting in the effort to overcome obstacles. But when is it ok to back off, reset, and rethink?
Last Saturday we had the privilege to join Jack ‘The Crazy Running Man’ Hanley and his Miles4Smiles crew as they transited through Canberra. Jack had started running 100km a day in Cairns at the start of September and was more than 40 days into his 100 day Everest of a challenge. The sheer toll any 100km run would have on you; let alone stringing 100 of them together across 100 days!!!
Yikes!!!
We’d set up to meet Jack and his crew at the Dock on Saturday morning and late Friday night I got word that his Insta mentioned that he’d been crook. He’d visited a doctor, had blood tests and in the previous 2 days had only (I say ‘only’ and cringe as I write this) managed a total of a single marathon distance in the previous 2 days.
His handler Louie said he was all good to go and so we arrived at the Dock to find Jack & his uncle Pete on the escort bike doing laps up and down Eastlake Parade waiting for the R4R crew to arrive.
Photos and selfies taken and off we trotted along the normal R4R route towards the Jetty & then Parliament House. Singing (or is it ‘Singhing’) YJCA ( a tweak on YMCA because we were running with Jack!) as we passed under Kings Ave bridge and a lazy climb up Federation Mall to Parliament House. Gorgeous running conditions, Singh and I struggling to keep pace with Jack – amazing photo opp on the forecourt.
If you took a Facebook or Insta view that morning you’d think all was going swimmingly. But for Jack the harsh reality was he was still carrying the urinary tract infection he’d dragged along the Hume Hwy over the previous few days and 20km in he was cooked. On the outside he was smiling, he was joking, he was singing YJCA with the actions – you’d never know.
So where to from here for Jack???
Some would say – harden up, you have your goals Jack, the illness will pass – just persist and draw upon your resilience.
What did Jack do?
He and his crew hitched up their 2 caravans, hit the road (by car) and set a B-line for Jack’s home in Melbourne. They wrapped him in cotton wool and got him back to his bed, his tribe, his support network. They prioritised looking after Jack over the distance he’d travel on foot that day.
I’m really stoked and heartened by this approach. It shows courage. It shows compassion. It shows that sometimes we need to stop thrusting ahead in life and rethink what really matters. We also need to ask ourselves what is the best thing we can be doing at any point in time. That may be powering down. It may be opening ourselves to be vulnerable. It may be setting our goals aside temporarily. It may be as simple as a home-cooked meal and cuppa tea with someone who gets us.
On Sunday Jack hit the road again and smashed out another 100km – this time in Melbourne. I’m not sure whether he was better physically or whether he’s able to continue on his 100km a day for 100 day goal. While I wish him well the point for me is – he’s resilient, he’s tough but he’s also vulnerable. He and his crew will make many calls in the coming weeks to support Jack whether he’s running or not. We will also make calls on how we support ourselves and each other in our R4R community. Some of the challenges others will face will be invisible to us. On some occasions our community members will need to dust off and move forward. On others they’d need to power down and recuperate. I’d conclude that being able to choose and being able to support the choices of others is a vital element in resilience.
If you’re keen to support Jack and Miles4Smiles it’s not too late. Please go to: https://asf.org.au/projects/miles4smiles/100x100s
And Jack – thanks for showing us courage and vulnerability wrapped in an infectious smile. You’re an amazing person that we were privileged to meet.
Cheers
Murray.
The Kingston Foreshore Legend Fights for Veterans
Waratahs and West Tigers Enthusiast Schuey, is stepping into the boxing ring to raise money for Veterans. We’re hopeful he gets the choccies but to be honest, if he can take the regular beating that being a Waratahs and West Tigers fan entails, he’ll be fine.
R4R Runner and Sunday Sippers host John Veloudos will be running 100km around Lake Burley Griffin. His goal is to raise more than $20k for Running for Resilience. To find out more, click below.