Running Lessons
I have always been someone who loved pushing themselves physically, be that swimming, playing a team sport, weightlifting, or running; I always want to stay active and healthy. At the beginning of 2020 I made the goal of running a half marathon every month namely because I was going on a journey of re-gaining my love for running from high school cross country and track days. It has been a fun journey, and with that have learned quite a few lessons and with one more month to go whether you are a runner, want to run, or never want to here are some lessons learned that can be applied to anywhere in life:
Confidence. We commonly feel like confidence is something we either possess or don’t. In reality, it is a mindset that we create for ourselves. Being confident boils down to which internal dialogue you decide to invest in. When there is a positive, encouraging voice telling us “yes, you can!” there is also frequently a negative, self-deprecating voice shouting back “Nope, not gonna happen.” While it’s hard to never experience negative self-talk, it is within our control to decide which voice to give power to or invest in. One of the most effective ways to shut down the negative is to challenge yourself, because you are capable of doing more than you think you can!
Vulnerability. Yeah bet you didn’t think running had much to do with that, but believe me it does. Because vulnerability requires compassion. Not just compassion for others, but for yourself. When you decide to take risks, it’s not just likely that you could fail; you just might at first. And, if and when you do, that is feedback to be used for future growth, not evidence of your shortcomings and flaws. Falling short isn’t the byproduct of inadequacy, it’s the byproduct of courage. When you genuinely know and believe that you’re enough, despite performance outcomes you will be rewarded with the freedom that comes with knowing you can take on any challenge and that no result can impact your worth! So, no matter how fast, slow, or far you go if you are trying and giving your best that is enough!
Injury rest. Yes, actually taking time off running and resting the body at first can feel like a catastrophe. But the body works in mysterious ways. Fitness always returns so much more quickly than it took to build it in the first place. Every milestone can be a chance for celebration and you may find those milestones lead you far past where you were pre-injury. Getting back into running after an injury is all about giving yourself the love and space to grow without having to feel like you need to prove something each day. Starting slow and letting the body adapt, rather than forcing it to adapt is far better. As you build back it is about training slowly first to later train healthily.
Talent is different for everyone. Talent is not an algorithm, it is thousands of variables interacting with environment and behavior in non-linear, impossible-to-predict ways over a lifetime. Yes, I’ll repeat that again, over a lifetime. The process of exploring your talent may lead you to that PR or first place finish, or that goal you set of making it around that block without stopping. All of those results are amazing in their own ways. Don’t every dismiss your talent, which is often a defense mechanism disguised as self- deprecation and you go a step further still. Embrace the talents you have. I dare you.
Resolute belief. Yes, life with resolute belief is more fun and purposeful. And what happens when belief informs action over months and years? Maybe that belief gets you out the door to train. Maybe it lets you rest to adapt or persevere. Maybe it allows you to invest in yourself in a way that makes you vulnerable since you know that even when things go to crap, you’ll keep believing. At first, it may not feel like much but zoom out. Then out again and again and again and eventually, you’ll see the way that you think affects the way your body works and it’s all because there was a resolute belief that you can and will!
Love. Where does love guide you? From the tough times of injury and regression alongside the effortlessly transcendent moments. Running is not inherently a good or needed thing for every person and our personal answer can change over time. For me, running has helped me be more self-accepting, giving myself the love needed to then allow that love to multiply exponentially, to learn to listen more intently to needs, to ask questions along the way and find infinitely more answers and I ultimately plan on sticking with it for as long as I can.
Adventure. For there is an adventure waiting on every run, the unknowns and uncertainties waiting down the trail. Approach each of those challenges with curiosity and courage rather than fear and apprehension. Amazing things happen when we approach anything (not just running) with excitement and intrigue about how things will play out rather than hampered and stifled by the fear of worst-case scenarios. Sometimes you will fall short. But, other times you will soar and the view will always be worth it.
