For the first time since I turned 13 and had my bat mitzvah, I'm a little torn. I always fast on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It's the holiest of days in the Jewish religion, a 24-hour period of self-deprivation and fasting meant to show your contrition and set the new year up on a good foot with G-d.
This is also the holiday during which we take time to make right the wrongs we've perpetrated throughout the year. In the Jewish religion, it's imperative to receive forgiveness from those you've hurt; forgiveness cannot come from a third party. Yom Kippur isn't exactly a happy, warm, cuddly holiday. It's a holiday about self-reflection and brutal, hard honesty.
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| Sunrise over Masada in Israel, 2012. |
I, like many other Jews, fast during Yom Kippur. But this is the first year I've had to weigh my yearning to fast with my training schedule. I did a run last year after fasting that left me feeling weird and unsteady. If I fast, even if I plan to move my long run from Saturday to Sunday, I don't think my body will be ready for 17 miles.
So what comes first? My cultural and spiritual identity, or my commitment to myself?
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| The Western Wall in Jerusalem, 2012 |
Pushing back my long run would be good for my foot, too, so I guess there's a lot going in favor of choosing to fast and take the weekend's expectations down a notch.
Either way, I plan to do a nice, short run tonight. I love running on holidays. I love having the time to reflect and turn my gaze inward. But I can't run too long, because by the time I'm done, I won't be able to refuel.
I hope everyone has a great weekend. Here's to a good new year.
ABK
