I’m coming up on two very significant anniversaries. The first one is my one year wedding anniversary. This Sunday my husband and I will have been married for a whole year! Yup, this time last year I was close to having a melt down over my frugal but extremely labour intensive wedding.
The other anniversary is my student loan debt free date. This time last year I was polishing off the last of my $26,720 in student loan debt. This fact has put debt on my mind lately.
In fact, I’ve been pondering how debt and running are similar. I haven’t squandered the bit of fitness I accumulated while training for my Bluenose 5k race, and I’ve been completing 6k runs twice a week regularly.
These runs are finally getting long enough that I’m starting to experience the drawn out stages of long distance running, and they are remarkably similar to the stages of debt repayment. So, here are the five stages of long distance running and debt repayment:
Stage 1: Working Out the Kinks
At the beginning of every run, the first few steps are always a bit awkward for me. I’m usually uncoordinated and have random ankle pains that need to be worked out. I do a lot of systems checking, trying to find something wrong. Is there a stone is my shoe? Is my Garmin strapped too tightly? Usually I have my dog Molly with me, and she’s loops back and forth in front of me because she’s excited. On good days we work out our kinks together before settling into a synchronized rhythm. On bad days I trip over the leash and end up sprawled in the dirt. #awkward
This is the same at the beginning of debt repayment. It’s a new habit, and it doesn’t feel quite right yet. I’m not yet used to making extra payments, and I’m still tweaking my debt repayment spreadsheet to look exactly how I want it. I’m excited to get started though.
Stage 2: Smooth Sailing
At this point, the knots have been worked out of my calves, I’ve got my coordination under control, and I’ve settled into a smooth pace. The ground flies by underneath my feet as I power up hills with a straight back and my head up. Thoughts about the magic of running drift through my mind:
I could do this forever!
My legs are made of steel.
This countryside is beautiful!
Isn’t running just the best sport in the world?
In this stage of debt repayment, things are humming along nicely. I’ve got my extra payments automated, my debt repayment spreadsheet is a finely tuned calculation and I know my exact debt repayment date (although I secretly plan to beat it).
Stage 3: Half Done Already?
For me this is about the 3rd km of a 6km run. I’m not as light on my feet as I was, but I’ve got plenty left in the tank. I’m pleased with how easily the first few kilometres fell away, and I think:
Maybe I’ll take a walk break, let my heart rate drop a bit.
I should have a drink of water from my water belt.
I can do this.
With debt repayment, maybe the consumption itch starts to creep up a bit. I’ve made some great progress in the last few months, why not treat myself? After all, I’ve all ready paid off so much debt, and it wasn’t exactly easy. I spend a little money and get myself back on track to hit my (now shortened) debt repayment date.
Stage 4: Ok, This is Hard
I’m tired. I take another walk break. My heart is officially pounding and my legs are protesting. I have a few kilometres to go and I’d really rather just go home. It feels like this run will never end. Like I’ve been running my entire life and will continue to run forever. Thoughts like “running is the stupidest sport in the world” tend to establish themselves as my internal mantra.
It’s amazing how quickly I can transition between stage 3 and 4.
At this stage of debt repayment, there are usually at least one episode of tears. I’m thinking:
Will this debt ever be gone?
Am I going to be in debt repayment mode for the rest of my life?
What’s the point, seriously, of paying off debt anyway?
I’m just going to quit, that’s it. I’ll quit, and just make the minimum payments and buy a Macbook instead.
Of course, I don’t stop running, and I don’t stop paying off debt.
Stage 5: Single Minded Determination
My legs don’t hurt anymore, they are like rubber, or jello. The accuracy with which I place my feet on the ground is vastly diminished, so I avoid pot holes that might invite a rolled ankle. My legs might not hurt anymore, by my heart does, it’s pounding like crazy but I refuse to stop and walk. I can see the finish line (my mailbox). There are no more thoughts going through my head. Just the steady one-two-three steps for inhaling and one-two-three steps for exhaling, accompanied by:
Do not stop.
Do not stop.
There is a strange peace that comes at this point in the run.
The same is true with debt repayment. At this point, I’m so close to just having that debt gone finally that I start eyeing my savings as a prospective candidate for additional funding. I just want that debt gone, over with, so I can move on with my life.
At the end of my run, I’m usually tired, but content with my choice to exercise instead of staying home and watching television. The same is true for debt repayment. I’m usually experiencing extreme frugal fatigue, but it’s totally worth it to be completely debt free.
Happy running and debt repayment!