What do you do when you suspect you’re lost, but turning back isn’t an option? This was a question I needed to answer recently.
On a crisp and sunny Saturday morning, I drove an hour from home to an unfamiliar town to run a 10-kilometer race. Although I was a little anxious, everything was lining up well. The drive had been simple, and I arrived early with plenty of time to check in and warm up. The cool weather was ideal for running. Plus, instead of having to use a typical pre-race porta potty, there was an actual bathroom available. This was going to be a fabulous race!
At the start time, the runners lined up and off we went down the road. The first part of the course was uneventful. A volunteer, or a neon sign, stood at each street corner directing runners where to go. My legs felt good, my pace was steady despite some unexpected hills, and I was optimistic about my finish time.
When I reached the second part of the course, I wasn’t expecting much of a change other than the terrain. Having glanced at the course map the day before, I knew we’d eventually turn onto a gravel path. What I didn’t know was that this part of the course wouldn’t be marked.
By this point in the race, the runners had dispersed. I passed some runners before reaching the path, and I could see one runner ahead of me on the path. Everyone else was out of sight. As I approached the runner ahead, I questioned whether I should pass him or let him serve as my guide. But he was slowing down and I was trying for a personal best. So, I ran by him and continued down the trail. Surely, the course was marked well, like it had been on the roads.
Unfortunately, this was not true. I realized this several minutes later at the first fork in the path. Had I missed the neon sign? Was I going the wrong way? I looked around for runners and found none. Confused, I stayed to the right and kept going.
As I ran, I encountered several more places where I had to guess which direction to go. With each decision came the suspicion that I could be lost. Maybe I was off course. Should I keep running or should I just give up? I couldn’t really turn around, but I could stop pushing myself forward.
In the end, I chose to keep my pace up as best I could until I reached the end of the path, or until my watch showed that I had completed the distance of the race. Thankfully, I found the end of the trail. I’d been on the right path after all. I ran as hard as I could to the finish and fell short of my personal record by about four minutes. Oh well. I tried my best, even if there was some moaning and groaning along the way.
I don’t know what challenges you’ll face on your path today, but I encourage you to keep moving forward. Even when it’s difficult and you feel lost, keep putting one foot in front of the other. You can’t follow your path by standing still. Press on.
