Being a former English major and a firm believer that books are better than almost anything else in the world, it’s probably to be expected that I would turn to literary sources when seeking fitness inspiration. My search for the perfect combination of compelling content and scintillating style, however, has been largely unsuccessful thus far.
English writer Alan Sillitoe’s short story, “The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner” (1958) was my first attempt, and those of you who’ve read it know that it’s less about the agony and ecstasy of long-distance running and more about society, crime, and feelings of youthful rebellion. All fine subjects in their way, but not exactly the literary equivalent of listening to “Born to Run.” Perhaps the pregnancy hormones running amok through my body at the moment also had something to do with my impatience with the story’s testosterone-tinged “angry young man” perspective: I just couldn’t identify.
My next choice— Dean Karnazes’ (nonfiction) story of his rise (and rise, and rise) to the heights, Ultramarathon Man (2006) was even more of a disaster when it came to the ability to see personal potential in another’s story. As I have trouble bending over my mountainous belly to tie my shoes and then waddle through my wimpy 5-mile runs, it’s tough to glean encouragement from the words of this superhuman with his self-proclaimed “ripped-like-a-boxer” body and driving need to run a hundred miles at a time, wolfing down pizza and tacos en route. On the contrary, Karnazes’ story had the opposite effect of causing me to echo the somewhat defeatist fitness mantra of our hilarious Bob Speck with a resounding “As if!”.
Thankfully, relief was found— but in an unusual place: the children’s section of the public library. A randomly-selected book I’d picked up to read to my son turned out to be the story of Canadian sportsman and cancer activist Terry Fox (1958-1981). It’s actually part of a series you may have seen called Valuetales. Each book in the series features a famous person from history and presents that person as the embodiment of some positive characteristic: There’s Harriet Tubman (the value of helping), Hans Christian Andersen (the value of fantasy), Louis Pasteur (the value of believing in yourself), Cochise (the value of truth and trust), and George W. Bush (the value of willful stupidity). Ok, I made up that last one, but you get the idea. To make these somewhat didactic stories more palatable to young readers, each subject has an imaginary but always incredibly cute sidekick— Terry’s are 2 running shoes, Speedy and Spunky.
Before you vomit, let me just tell you that it is not the book’s prose style, or the illustration (Terry, actually very handsome, comes off looking like Howdy Doody) that grabbed my interest. Rather, it was the fact that Terry was a normal guy, a young man who loved all sports (especially excelling at basketball) but was struck by a nondiscriminating disease during his first year at college and had to have his leg amputated. Not letting that stop him, he continued playing (wheelchair) basketball and running, and decided he would use his personal tragedy to make a difference for other people in his situation. The Marathon of Hope he began in 1980, a run across Canada, raised $25 million for cancer research and showed people all over the world that an “average guy/gal” could have a lasting and positive effect on the lives of others.
Terry’s cancer came back, this time in his lungs, and he ultimately had to stop his Marathon of Hope after running 3,339 miles on his prosthetic leg, but he remains in the hearts of those everywhere who know what it is to be challenged— maybe in much smaller ways than he experienced himself— and to struggle to show some kind of (even fledgling) determination in response.
The running I can do, even if I have to crawl every last mile… I am not a dreamer, and I am not saying that this will initiate any definitive answer or cure to cancer. But I believe in miracles. I have to.
So don’t discount the kiddie section when looking for your fitness motivation! Something you find there just might help to make you a little more speedy and spunky.
Jeanine Casler lives, runs, and writes in Evanston, Illinois. She’d love to hear any suggestions YOU have for literary-fitness inspiration.
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January 31st, 2009 at 7:02 am
[…] Git r dun: —You get paid for “done.” —The necessity of nonsense. —As worthy a goal as any. —An 87-year-old bench presser. —The story of Anthony Robles. —Five pillars for success. —Excuses, excuses. —Two straight years of maintaining an exercise routine. —How to get it all done. —Competition breeds success. —Get real. —Inspiration from children’s literature. […]
January 31st, 2009 at 7:14 am
I have no literary suggestions, but I rather find my inspiration in people I know and see. My mother has crippling arthritis and yet somehow cleans house, cooks, entertains children and 40 some grandchildren, though not usually all at once. Course she has help too. Still she finds time to crawl upstairs to do laundry, scooter down in a somewhat trecherous manner to the lake she lives on and swim daily if possible and even with a suit to keep her warm in the late fall. Yah, she lives in northern PA where its more of ice-fishing than swimming this time of year. So she is determined to walk again after 6 mo of not using one foot, and is now in physical therapy. I have no idea where her stubborn determination comes from. But I know that in spite of or perhaps because of having us all she is crippled; and because of us all she is determined to keep going and find independence in her movements. Perhaps it is this alone that drives her. Making sacrifices for others can become a habit - a crippling and a freeing one. She suffers and is yet has more joy to share than anyone I know!
March 15th, 2009 at 10:29 am
[…] who recently demonstrated extraordinary strength and presence of mind (see Christina Durgin’s note on her Mom, for example), please send it along and share the inspiration with […]
April 23rd, 2010 at 8:19 am
[…] Further Fitness » Blog Archive » Words to Live By […]
May 28th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
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