Chop wood, carry water

Last week I talked about how there are certain traits to people you would choose to "go to war with." These traits are usually lumped in as intangibles, non cognitive characteristics, etc.  I wanted to break down these traits.

So I’ll start with an important intangible. Staying at the grind, when the world is pushing you to give up. 

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I had a track teammate in college, Jake. When I think of Jake, there are several awesome races that come to mind, but I remember one in particular. It was the indoor track conference meet. 

Jake had come into the conference meet after a disappointing season, and he was seeded 8th in the 3000 meter race (about two miles). The top runner, Dee, was the heavy favorite. He was coming off a cross country title, and had been continuing with a big indoor track season. 

The race started out calmly with nobody taking a clear lead, until halfway through the race when Dee jumped into the lead and started pushing the pace. Several runners followed suit, perhaps hoping to catch second place or sneak a victory. Two laps later, Dee was cruising, and had dropped all but one runner. That one runner was Jake. 

He was hanging in there, having the race of his life. Not only that, he looked calm and in control. You could see him itching to make a move on Dee. Jake pushed and pushed, but Dee couldn’t be broken. 

Dee crossed the finish line a few comfortable seconds ahead of Jake, but Jake ended the day with a huge personal best, and he had eliminated all memories of a subpar season. He had outraced several of the best runners in the conference. You couldn’t steal the smile from his face. 

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I once told Jake that he was a champion. But not because of the day I just told you about. 

The five months before that incredible 3000 meter race, Jake had been waking up early and trudging through the Ohio snow to walk to the KAC (Kenyon Athletic Center) every morning before class. Lacing up his shoes, and hitting the indoor track to run an easy few miles. Mornings after staying up till the wee-hours writing an Indian History term paper, Jake was still at the track. 

It’s easy to get out and train when you’re having the season of your life. It’s easy to run when you’re going good, and cranking out PR’s left and right. 

It’s not so easy when you’re having a tough season. When you’re training as if you should be having the season of your life, but you aren’t. When you’re crushing workouts, but getting crushed in races. 

People start talking about how you’re overtraining. That you’re wasting precious time at college trying to live a hopeless dream. And you start to doubt yourself. 

Jake struggled through tough seasons, but through it all, he ran his miles, pounded his workouts, and showed up to work hard every day. Whether he had just crushed the field, or was coming off the worst race of his life, you could find him at the KAC. Putting in extra miles. 

You can rely on a guy like Jake. Maybe not for a breakout race every time he laces up his spikes, but you know he’s at the track every day, working hard. Chopping wood. Carrying water. And that counts for something. 

I would go to war with Jake. 

See you on the other side, 

from ken  

Feel free to comment! I would love to hear your thoughts.