From Fartleks to Normalcy

Fartleks make you faster. (Pronounce it just the way you think- with a smile on your face). They are also a life lesson. A one-mile race is one mile long not ten yards less. Run fast to the very end. The very end. Practices that include Fartleks help runners improve performance pacing, endurance and strategic effort that will avoid running out of energy before the race is finished. Sprinting to the end assures a better final result.
Standing in line for hours to see a favorite sports team or to be a part of a throng of excited concert goers may be reasonable to anyone with an emotional tie or the thrill of belonging to a group of like-minded revelers. Time passes in a flash when the atmosphere is filled with high energy and adrenalin filled laughter. Waiting for something necessary but without enthusiasm takes much longer, like waiting for a lecture outside the principal’s door knowing you’re in trouble. Every minute seems like an hour. Waiting for the end of pandemic restrictions, lock- downs, and business closures can be exhausting.
There are mornings when getting out of bed and going to work is the last thing we want to do. But we do. Because we must. Every temptation to skip work is rejected. It happens every day around the country that someone is doing something they would rather not do because it has to be done.
Nothing seems to take so long as bringing a long and sometimes challenging project to a close. The Covid19 pandemic response may be one of the most difficult experiences we’ve faced in our lives. Getting to the end is going to take a while. And everyone is anxious for the shot, the cure, the getting back to normal of a couple of years ago.
The word ‘pandemic’ is enough to tell us that this is a really big deal. Big enough that experts and dedicated people will have to be involved to provide the most protection and positive outcomes for as many people as possible. It may take more time than the public expects.
When all the wants of our lives depends on the actions and instructions of others, with whom we have no influence, steps in the right direction take forever. Still, we must wait. The invention of effective vaccines and the distribution of them is the encouragement to stay the course; wear your mask, avoid crowded places, follow the instructions of science. These will bring to a close the drudgery of lockdowns, business closures and prescribed social distancing.
Don’t stop before you’re finished, before we are all finished. The Covid19 Pandemic has been no joke for anyone. Over half a million people have died of Covid19 in the U.S. Millions of new cases are still being reported each day around the world. This race to end the pandemic threat is not over.
Let’s do one another a big favor. Wear our masks, follow reasonable instructions, and get the shots as they come available. Its possible doing so will save someone’s life.
Greg Henderson
Greg Henderson is the retired founder of the Southern Oregon Business Journal. A University of Oregon graduate and a six year U.S. Air Force veteran, he spent nearly 30 years in banking and finance. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications concentrating on some 20 industry sectors. Contact him at ghenderson703@gmail.com
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