Prologue

Over the years, I’ve worked harder and harder to find meaning in life. But the more I've looked, the more I’ve wondered if I was going about my search the wrong way.

I've been looking for meaning through experience, but I think now that I've always had it backwards. Life will never be defined by extravagant experience, but about finding extravagance in common experience. So for 2009, I'm going to focus less on living large, and focus more on living well. Each month I'll start a new month-long project (like trying to run 3 miles faster than George Bush), to find uncommon results from common experience. Each project will involve daily activity, so every day of 2009 you can check my progress on the monthly projects and see what I discover.

None of these projects will cost much—in fact, I think most will be free. So if you're looking for a year uncommonly rich, you can join me. There's no membership required, just participate and comment if you want. Either way, get ready for a year I hope is unlike any other.

Epilogue

I stumbled across the finish line, but I manage to complete 8 of the month-long projects successfully. Blogging is now over at Wonderfam!

It's May, and May was a …

A Month of Accomplishment (about)

~ or ~

Forcing myself to finish something (about)

01
12

Hope and regret, all wrapped up in a couple of miles

Written by Nathan on January 12, 2009 at 11:57 pm from A Month of Resolve.

I’ve been very achy all day, and strongly considered not running as a result. This is, after all, a project about resolve manifest through trying to beat Bush’s best 3 mile time. Strictly speaking, the daily 3 miles is just my intended means to that end. I don’t need to try to beat him every day – just once during the month. But since I’ve felt better while running even over the last few days than I’ve felt even just sitting around, I reasoned myself into a run.

During my first mile I felt great. I took it easy and ran a 7:50, then decided that I had proven enough and I should take it easy. So I cut out the middle mile and set off to walk and jog home. For most of that second mile I was fine, but the last few blocks to get home were awful. In fact, they were probably some of the worst moments of motion I’ve ever experienced. My tolerance for pain is very high, but I nearly broke down to call my wife for a ride home a number of times. (It’s pathetic that it took me so much time – probably 10 minutes worth.)

After hobbling like an rehabbing old man and barely having the muscle capacity to even stand in the shower, I will take it easy tomorrow. I may do an elliptical or I may do a half an hour of pilates or yoga. But tomorrow, in my resolve to beat Bush, I will not run at all.

No Comments