The Hardening Off Process

Yesterday as I was transplanting my tomato and pepper seedlings into my garden I was thinking about the hardening off process and how it relates to life.  The hardening off process for seedlings is the process of getting these small plants ready to be planted outside in a much harsher environment than the indoors that they've been growing in.  You begin by setting the plants out for an hour one day and gradually increase the time that they are outside each day over a period of a week or so.  This process strengthens the plants and prevents the sudden shock that they would experience if they were just suddenly transplanted outside in the direct sunlight and wind.  Some plants might probably survive but they'd suffer in the process. 

This made me think of all the people who say, "I could never do that!" I hear this statement most often when I talk about running or cycling some distance.  I hate to disagree with people, but I think they're wrong.  Now if the person were to say "I can't do that!", they're probably right at this point in time.  Maybe they can't run 2 miles, 5 miles, a half marathon (13.1 miles) or ride a century ride (100 miles) today.  But they probably could do it with a hardening off process more commonly known as training.   Last year when I started to train for a half marathon, I really didn't know if I could do it or not.  I'd only been running semi-consistenly for a year.  My longest run ever was 5 miles.  There were only 15 weeks until the Highway Half Marathon, a one-time only event in my home town.  But the one thing that I did know was that if I didn't start training right away there was no way that I'd be able to run the 13.1 miles.  So I began training.  My mileage increased a little bit each week for 15 weeks.  I suffered through some tough, hot training runs.  I got stronger and on Oct. 12th I completed the Highway Half Marathon.  Fifteen weeks earlier I couldn't do that but with a good hardening off process I reaped the fruits of my labor. 

So don't let the fact that you can't do something today, keep you from trying.  Start your hardening off process and see what you're able to accomplish.