Hurdling is an amazing sport. Whoever came up with the idea is either a genius or a masochist. To leap over barriers at intervals between running takes a lot of practice. It helps if you are naturally agile and have a good sense of balance. As you approach the hurdles, you have to adjust your stride. However, you must not hesitate or you lose your momentum.
Life is often compared to running a race or a marathon. I think it’s more similar to a long hurdle race. Obstacles appear at intervals, and we have to adjust our stride and jump over them. We get better at it, the more we practice.
Yet many of us are not prepared for the barriers. Can you imagine a runner who has trained for a long-distance race finding out she’s signed up for a hurdling race at the last minute? This is how I feel most of the time. I’m a runner (okay, maybe more of a jogger). I’ve trained to run long distances. I’ve developed some endurance. I’ve figured out a stride that works well for me. Then suddenly, out of no where comes a barrier. What!? I must be at the wrong event. I didn’t sign up for this! Can I run around it? What do you mean I have to jump over it? And there are more barriers coming up? This race is so unfair!
OR, maybe I just need a paradigm shift. I need to expect barriers at intervals. I need to develop speed, agility, and balance. I have to learn to adjust my stride as I approach the barriers. No fear. No hesitation. Hurdles are meant to be jumped over. And after you conquer one, you don’t slow down. There are many more to come.
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