Today I achieved a goal I set last December. Never having run more than 36 days in a row, I set the goal of running for 100 straight days. As I advanced closer to that goal, I lifted it to run every day until I reached 1,000 miles. Today marked my 114th consecutive day of running, and my tally now stands at 1,003 miles without a day off.
Setting goals for me is a part of my prison adjustment. I have been using this strategy since my term began. As a prisoner, the system rips away control from my life. This loss of control represents the consequence of my convictions in a criminal court. Complaining about the loss of freedom doesn’t help me cope, but thriving in spite of the control does.
In setting a goal, like running 1,000 miles without a day off, I must find a will within me. I cannot use wind, rain, or temperatures as an excuse. If my body aches, I muster the strength to run through the pain. For me, once I set a goal, the pain would become greater if I were to allow some type of outside force to interfere with my success.
All of the goals I set work together in pursuit of a greater purpose. When I began my term, education and fitness drove me because I believed that if I could earn academic credentials and keep physically fit, I would create opportunities that would help me transcend long-term imprisonment. I could create a kind of freedom in my mind and spirit even if prison boundaries confined me.
At this later stage of my imprisonment, fitness remains an important aspect of my prison adjustment. I’m also eager to reach more people through my writing, to advance the call for prison reform, to prepare for a successful adjustment upon release, and to contribute to the lives of others. My most important goal, and the one that all of the other goals work to further, is to prove worthy of the love Carole gives me.
I intend to continue exercising regularly. With this writing, I commit to exercising every day of 2009, without a single day of rest. Although I expect to run every day, if I feel an ache, I may choose to exercise by riding the stationary bike or another exercise machine. I still commit to surpassing my 2008 record of running 2,600 miles on the year.
Before my run this morning, I wrote three blog articles. After my run, I strength trained with 300 pushups. Then I interviewed Will, a white collar offender with an interesting story to share. I will begin writing Will’s story this week. I also finished a 1,000 word article that will become a part of American Corrections textbook.
Sunday, 5 April 2009
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