Hills
by Lynn Riskedal | May 11, 2009
One of my running buddies regularly takes me along a path that has hills. Hills are hard. I have to work harder. Gravity makes me slow down. And once I get to the top, I am breathing heavily, which makes me want to walk. Hills tire me out.
I dislike hills.
His mantra: embrace what you hate.
I’m guessing there is some component of the doctoral program that you need to embrace.
Dislike research? The more you embrace it now, the better off you will be during the disseration stage.
Dislike theory? Embrace and understand.
Dislike writing? Keep working at it. Seek guidance. Learn.
Hills will be a part of running. I am embracing them.
What do you dislike? And how might you embrace it?
2 Responses to "Hills"
Barbara Daiker says:
I too have a running buddy that pushes the group of us that run together to do hill workouts. Each time as I near the top of the hill I think I have to walk and won’t make it. Each time I talk myself through that point and finish the hill. Each quarter is a little like that hill; talking myself through the end with the last postings and final paper. Comps will be the same. We are stronger and faster each time we do the hills, better prepared for the easy flat roads and that next hill. I don’t think we are looking for easy, but we get to know ourselves and understand how to get through that last stretch, once again.
Lynn Riskedal says:
I like the analogy of the hill and the quarter of coursework. Keep on running. Keep on working through those courses. Keep on reflecting and learning.