A little personal responsibility, please

A little personal responsibility, please
04.01.2020 | Guest News No. 110 by Ulrich Strunz jun.

„A little respect, please“ they already tell us on SPIEGEL ONLINE. Exhaustion is spreading among the politicians. Burned out, „due to all the appointments there is hardly time to think about anything in peace.“

„In the heat of the debate in social media, many don’t take the time to understand the pressures of everyday politics.“

So politicians complain about exhaustion depression, high blood pressure or metabolic disorders.

And sink into victim role thinking. It’s the fault of those out there, the citizens, who are to blame with their regulars‘ table arguments. That they can’t think…

You as a strunz.com reader know: we are not powerless. Basically not. We can think, despite stress.

Our bodies can move mountains, we are made to resist stress. Victim role thinking leads to nowhere. Whoever feels fear and shame can always find help. (see „Ass up begins in the head“).

SPIEGEL Online therefore quickly closed again. What was I thinking…

Deepest respect is due to those who do not give up and create benefit by carrying the suffering with them.

Rudolf S.“ created such benefits with his story. It motivates. That shines with strength and gives courage to others. And is to be a guest contribution here. Thanks to Rudolf!

Guest article
From the operating table to the finishline of the Berlin Marathon.
Guest article by Rudolf S.

Never claimed that this way will be easy. However, I realized almost 20 months ago that I would take it. Back in February 2018, after an almost 3-hour operation.

The malignant carcinoma had to be removed.

Almost everyone around me was wondering. About my optimism. My positive attitude. But for me it was already clear at that time – this is not the end. It was far from being the end. Life – also with sport – goes on.

Of course I have a sporting past. In the area of endurance. Triathlon. Long distance. That helped me on my way to Berlin. Not just physically, but mentally.

Body and mind remembered the preparation phases of that time. Discipline, willpower, motivation. About the unforgettable hours of the necessary training sessions.
So on 29.9. 2019 I stood again and with me another almost 42.000 runners at the start of the marathon in Berlin. Waiting that it finally started. I wanted to start this round through the city.

My preparation went without injuries. Without illnesses. The running distances were chosen correctly and the preparation races brought exactly the expected results. The self-assessment worked. At almost 65 you know what you have to do or not do. This is called experience.

The race with cool 13 degrees and light rain started like every race. Of course, for many people it was much too fast. My plan was a different one. Start at just under 7 minutes per kilometer. No faster. Worked almost 100%. For the first 10 kilometres, the running time was 67 minutes.

The rhythm was set. The race tempo fit very well. The time for the half marathon was 2 hours 26 minutes.
Now the most beautiful time of the run began. For me. Not for those I passed. There were many. For them it was already hard. Very hard. Despite the euphoria, I had to keep an eye on my running watch. There was still a long way to run. It worked. I didn’t get faster.

But the others slower. And so one feeling of success followed the other.

Passing is a very beautiful thing.

I had reached kilometer 30 after 3 ½ hours. The steps wanted to become shorter. The tiredness slowly became noticeable. So at some point the brain, the spirit is needed. If one is mentally challenged. Of course I knew that. Concentration on the essential. Keeping the rhythm. Drink. Energy intake. Positive thinking. Visualization.

It worked. Once again. Up to mile marker 35. That’s when it started getting exhausting for me, too. But from there on, it’s not much further. 7.2 kilometers remaining. From the initial 42.2. km. Still one hour to go. The distance can also be covered in 2 hours. If you walk. An option. Nothing more.

None for me. The closer the target gets, the easier it should be. Ideally. That’s what I thought. What every runner wants. The distance to the finish line is secondary. Whether it’s two kilometers or 200 meters. It doesn’t matter. The feeling is to have experienced it and to have made it. That remains. For a lifetime. After 5.03.54 my run was over. Actually finished. Not only in my imagination. Or in the visualization in training. No. Real now. Pure emotion. What else.

Once again, my life motto was right:
don’t go, don’t exist. And everything can, nothing must.

Maybe running is actually a good way to cope better with unpleasant surprises in life. And I am already looking forward to the next marathon. Where? Anywhere.

To the German original article