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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

IWSG - A Marathon of Non-Writing...

Aloha,

 “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;”

                                                             – William Shakespeare (Henry The Fifth)

 


Yes, it is time, once more, to figure out if it’s IWSG or ISWG, but what the heck, I’m surely glad that A-Cav came up with this wonderful idea of the Insecure Writers Support Group.
For me, it’s pretty simple this month.

This Sunday, I’m running my tenth and final (yuh, right) marathon. My first (in 2001) should have been the Honolulu Marathon, (but I pulled out after a training injury) so it’s only fitting to finish where I was supposed to start.

The problem is I’m not prepared. I haven’t ran an inch in preparation, so it may take me a while to finish.

However, I don’t care what my time is, but finish I will.

So, if I am so committed to dragging my butt through 26.2 miles of a tropical climate-infused “race,” why am I struggling to write while sitting my butt in a cool, air-conditioned room?

If I know I won’t quit the marathon unless the medics take me down, why am I scared to write?
Why?

####
Legal notice: This IWSG post sponsored, in part, by Whiners Helping Individuals Notify Everyone, Inc.
"Have you drank your pitifully half-empty glass of whine today?" (c) 2013 WHINE Inc.
(All rights reserved... because, well we said so, and it's really mean and not nice of you at all to take our words - and I worked really hard at writing it and my hang nail hurt a lot every time I hit the "Z" key, and well why would you take our words and not tell us. Seriously, that's not nice. I'll tell my mom.)
 
 

44 comments:

Trisha said...

Good question, Mark - I don't really have a good answer! But I am in awe of anyone who does marathons. I can't even run 100m without having to walk for a bit. ha. But I do have asthmatic lungs so I blame those. I'm fine with power walking!

Also, my knees couldn't take running. They're crap as it is without me being a runner!

Good luck with your marathon!

Donna K. Weaver said...

You make me smile, Mark. I have a writing friend who had that experience of running a marathon that he hadn't prepared for, because of an injury. Good luck, but remember those cute boys who need their dad ...

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Your tenth marathon??? Wow I am still working towards my first LOL

Sarah Foster said...

Yikes, I couldn't even imagine doing one marathon. Good luck!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I like the legal notice!
maybe you are willing to put your body through heck because you can see the ending, but with the writing, you don't see a clear ending?
Because, there really isn't one...

Stephen Tremp said...

I should train for a 13.1. I could really use the training and exercise. I ran track one year in high school, the two mile. So I think I could do it a year from now.

StratPlayerCJF said...

I've ran a marathon. Well, OK -- Actually I'm just estimating that if you add up all the running I've done in my 53 years on this planet it might add up to around 26 miles or so.

But one of the differences in writing is how we view the finish line. It's not enough to "finish" a story or a novel -- you have to "publish it" and get x-number of people to read and/or buy it to feel like a "success'. In a marathon, you just have to drag your ass over the finish line at some point in the day to feel like a winner, and it doesn't matter how many people are there to "buy" your finished race.

Maybe it could help think of writing in the same way. Get it done and you're a winner, and it don't matter if it takes a day or ten years to get across that "finished" story line!


StratPlayerCJF said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
StratPlayerCJF said...

Whoops! Sorry about the double post -- the comment page didn't close.

But hey -- I "finished" the comment twice! I'm a double winner! Hooh-hah!!!!

Ryshia Kennie said...

Wow - with that kind of commitment, writing should be a breeze. Twenty-six miles in the heat?! Awesome, good luck!

Unknown said...

I completed a half marathon. Once. You are nuts and brave and can be my running hero. I'll be sure to lift a cup of cheer to you from my couch. ;)

Chrys Fey said...

Good luck with the marathon! Just crossing the finishline makes you awesome in my eyes. :)

Rachna Chhabria said...

Wow, tenth marathon, I am yet to do one. But why final marathon?

Tony Laplume said...

Write a story about the marathon, or some metaphor around it. That's your way in right there.

Unknown said...

Wow, Mark, that's one helluva accomplishment! I'll take care of the writing part whilst you run away, since it's against my moral code to run unless someone heavily armed is chasing me *the end result of FBI training* There's no set path nor finish line in writing--it's a marathon that never ends, but you're a whole lot less sweaty in the process.
Cheers to your success!
WriterlySam

Anonymous said...

lol - Finish you will, and it just might be the best race you ever ran…good luck to you, Mark!

~Sia McKye~ said...

I dunno why one is afraid to sit down and write but I know I've faced that more than a few times. Usually, when I'm heading into new territory. Sometimes it's not fear so much is reluctance and then letting everything else kinda take over or distract...look, a butterfly, lol!

Marathons--I've run a few in my younger knee years, lol! Funny how the attitude for physical finish lines are so much easier to be determined about, isn't it?

Sia McKye Over Coffee

klahanie said...

Mazza dude!

Of course, the easy way to remember how the letters are arranged is like this "I Was Seeking Gary" aka IWSG :)

Indeed, it aint the time you finish in, it's the fact you are doing it.

Same could be said for your writing. It isn't the time it takes, it's the removing of the pressure to write and stroll along at you own pace.

And a mighty fine WHINE, I have to say :)

Do you still call it "Zed" or "Zee"?

All the best with the marathon and watch out for your adoring fans....

Gary :)

S.P. Bowers said...

How have I not heard of WHINE Inc.? It sounds like it would be the perfect group for me.

Sometimes the harder things are the easier it is to do them. We know it's hard, we prepare ourselves mentally, psych ourselves up, whatever. But if there's no pressure, we think, meh, I'll do it tomorrow.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Go ahead and tell Mom. I dare you. I'll steal your words whenever I want!
I have the same sort of brain block lately. Only it hasn't just hit the WIPs. I have that blog tour I was planning that I keep ignoring like a child a sat in time out and still don't have a proper discipline for so as long as he isn't whining, I pretend all is well. That probably makes no sense, but neither does the z and the hangnail. It's the space bar that makes the hang nail ache cyber brother ;)

Georgina Morales said...

I LOVE your legal notice! Would it be wrong of me to steal it? LOL

You have the right attitude, I think you'll be alright. Writing is hard, sometimes the words don't come, sometimes it is the wrong words that come, sometimes our fingers fly like the wind through the keyboard. Go figure... The most important thing is to never stop and I have full confidence you won't.

Best of luck with the marathon!

Sheena-kay Graham said...

One person's whine is another's "Thank God that's not me running that crazy long marathon". *Grins* Anyway I wish you the best of luck with running (loads of luck) and in writing. Fun as always Mark.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

A marathon without training. You are brave and determined but pushing ourselves physically is easier than mental pushes.

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne said...

Once you finish the marathon you'll reaffirm what a huge accomplishment that is and then writing will be easy! You'll surprise yourself on the marathon, for sure. You're extremely valiant to even consider it, with or without training.

Robin said...

Why do we commit completely to one thing and have such difficulty with another? Why do we struggle to do something we love? Why? Why? Why?

As for this comment... would you like some whine to go along with all of the cheese?

Anonymous said...

I ran a half maraton without training for the first time. Ignorance was bliss. Never do it again, though. Your 10th one, you'll be fine. ;-)

Let the beautiful scenery distract you for 26.2 miles.

Cathrina Constantine said...

I've run across a lot of whiners today, myself included. Running is mindless, physical movement-while writing takes complete control of the mind. You practice running you need to spread your mind and practice writing.

Elephant's Child said...

Oh my. Writing and marathons. Both beyond me. Whinging and whining? Now those I can do.
Slinking off to re-order my priorities.

LD Masterson said...

I'm in awe of people who run marathons. I did a 15K mini with my son once but 5K's were more my speed. Now the knees are shot so no running at all.

Maybe running the marathon is less scary than writing because the race is a fixed length. You know how far you are to go to finish. Writing is a bit more open-ended. You have no guarantee where it will lead you.

David P. King said...

That's amazing, Mark! You're 10 marathons ahead of me. Not much of a runner here (but lets see how many laps you can do at the pool!) :)

Kirsten said...

You? Afraid to write? I can't believe it!
Maybe a quick jog around the block will get the wordage back in motion ... okay that sounds a little gross, but you know what I mean, right? Write! ;)
I'm so impressed that you ran all those marathons. I'm lucky to walk a 5k!

Tammy Theriault said...

hey marky mark!! dang I didn't know you were THAT into running. stomp making me look lazy would ya!! just start writing anyways. who cares??? do it do it do it!!

love, the scribe hahahaha...

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Good luck Mark - that's great that you'll be giving it your all .. and I'm sure you'll make it to the lazy hazy end - you'll be so chuffed you got through and your little ones will be amazed by their Daddy - dunno what Daddy will think - probably not much at that stage!

Happy inch by inch running ... cheers Hilary

David T List said...

Hahaha.
Perhaps it's because you know that the marathon, for better or worse, will be over in a day. That book will take more than just a day... unless you're able to chop it into more manageable pieces.

Arlee Bird said...

I know I won't be running in any marathon, but I too should be writing. Yeah, why is it...?

Well, at least I'm writing on my blog.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Unknown said...

The marathon isn't the uphill run that writing is! Funny little copyright notice at the end. Chuckling, even still.

M.L. Swift, Writer

Jay Noel said...

I have been calling it ISWG this whole time too. So glad I'm not alone!

Good luck with your marathon. I'm sure you'll do just fine.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Le plane, La plane! Just for fun and sillies, I linked to you in my most recent post.

Keep smiling, Mr. Roarke.

xoRobyn

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

PS Sorry, I didn't even comment on your post. You are a super-hero, just as I suspected. Good luck, Mark. You'll do great. Enjoy it (when it's over, at least).

xoRobyn

Anonymous said...

LOL Mark. Just take your time, and don't let those pesky medics stop you!

Sometimes writers need a break from writing so their brains don't fry. No worries. ;)

Anonymous said...

My virtual hat is off to you, sir. I can't run more than three miles without going into complete cardiopulmonary shutdown -- or something close.

Jeremy Bates said...

because when u run a marathon, ur with other people
writing is scary bc it is a lonely, lonely thing! lol

Philip Verghese 'Ariel' said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Philip Verghese 'Ariel' said...

Hi Mark,
OMG!! A Marathon!!! NO NO NO No chance!!!!
Very interesting one!
As Alex said the end note the "Legal Notice" made it all LOL
Keep Going
Let us get ready to roast our friend Arlee !!! LOL
Phil

Satur

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