In 2009 several running organizations got together to establish
National Running Day. It occurs the first
Wednesday in June every year now. It is
the day that we runners can declare our passion for the sport that keeps us
healthy and in my case sane. It is also
a day that all runners across the globe can go out for a run to celebrate this
day. As a runner it is our obligation to
celebrate our sport by planning and going out for a run, infecting a friend with our passion for
running, signing up for a race, or even setting a new running goal for ourselves.
I have embraced this challenge and plan to celebrate it every year from now on.
This past National Running Day I went out for a short run as part of my
participation in the Runner's World Run Streak challenge. It was my 10th consecutive run of the streak
that started on May 26th and ends on the 4th of July. I have never run consecutive days without a
break since I started running back in 1985.
I thought it would be interesting to see how I would do especially given
that I have been recovering from a hamstring injury. As I ran that day, it dawned on me how much
my running has taught me over the years.
I wanted to share with you what I have learned and hope that you have
found similar truths during your runs.
The most important lesson that running has taught me is that there is
always going to be someone faster, more seasoned or who has run more races than
me. I now know that comparing myself to
other runners is a pointless exercise. Measuring
my ability against someone else’s is unfair and truly a waste of my time. All runners (including me) have a tendency to
make these evaluations. The truth is
that all I or any other runner can do is the best that we can do on any given
day whether it is in a race or just a training run. I no longer compare myself to anyone. Rather I focus on being the best possible
runner I can be and try to always run my own race.
I have always considered my runs to be my personal time. It is the only time during the day where I
get to reflect and focus just on what I
want to focus on. It is the perfect time
for me to think without a lot of distractions.
I sincerely enjoy the sweat and labored breathing that comes with each
run. I find that it is the time where I
can release pent up frustrations, tensions and explore those esoteric ideas
that help me improve who I am with my family and friends. I try to enjoy the silence when I can because
as we all know there is just too much noise in the world around us. Sometimes it is just nice to listen to the
sound of your my own breathing and foot falls on the pavement. Most importantly, I know that when I am
finished with my run that I am much happier and ready to take on whatever comes
my way.
Running has taught me that to be good at anything, I have to put in the
time and effort. So many people are
looking for the easy way to success. I
have found that success is never going to come easy. Without strong effort and dedication you will
remain stagnant. I know that anything
worthwhile in life is worth working hard for.
Sometimes the work to get there is not fun as anyone who has trained for
a marathon can attest to. But I can
assure you that it is always worth the effort.
I learned that when things don't work out as planned that it is not a
sign of failure but rather just a part of the process to get me to where I am
going. Every failure is just a chance to
improve.
Which brings me to another important lesson that running has taught
me. No matter how hard I work and how well
prepared I am, disappointments will happen.
This is a tough lesson and one that I still struggle with daily. I have to constantly remind myself that finish
times are just times. The fact that I started a run or race is the only way
that I can ever reach the finish line.
My finishing time does not hold the power over me. I do.
And if this year's Boston Marathon did anything for me it solidified
that the most gratifying experiences in life usually come as a result of
enduring the most painful trials. And
that if I can just focus on putting one foot in front of the other, I will
eventually make it to the finish line which is an accomplishment to be proud of
every time.
Lastly, I have learned from
running that I can do anything I set my mind to. Over the years I have said, "I can't run
that far" or "I can't train like that" only to prove myself
wrong. I now know that I can run new
race distances, challenging relays, run faster, and most importantly find ways
to actually become a better runner despite my advancing age. I also have seen how running makes me
stronger in all capacities of my life both mentally and physically. Best of all, I know that I can keep this up
for as long as I live. Being number one
is not important to me. It is more
important to know that with practice, patience and persistence, I can achieve
what I set out to do whether it is running or in my personal and business life.
As I have said many times before, running is a way of life for me. It is a huge part of the person I have become
since setting out on the road so many years ago. My running life has allowed me to be part of
a beautiful community of people who come together as one because we all love
this crazy sport. I have made so many
new friends through running. They have all
had a profound and positive impact on my life.
Each of them has shown me that although I may have not been born a
runner, I have built myself into one over time. And they accept me for who I am and don't care
how fast or how far I can run. They just
enjoy the camaraderie that comes with a shared experience.
I know that am a bit of a zealot now.
Some people may even tire of my obsession. That is o.k.
because running has shown me that I can have anything I want and that I can be
happy reaching for my own goals in life.
I can rest comfortably knowing that there is no finish line in life. So I will just enjoy the ride while it lasts. So I encourage you to get on the road because
I know you will find similar lessons if you just let running become a part of
who you are too.
June 9 – 5.20 miles (47:55, 9:14 pace)
June 10 – 3.10 miles (27:42, 8:55 pace)
June 11 – 5.60 miles (51:35, 9:13 pace)
June 12 – 6.20 miles (59:43, 9:38 pace)
June 13 – 4.20 miles (39:30, 9:23 pace)
June 14 – 8.30 miles (1:18:55, 9:41 pace)
June 15 – 7.20 miles (1:08:28, 9:31 pace)
June 16 – 2.20 miles (20:15, 9:14 pace)
June 17 – 2.40 miles (22:40, 9:27 pace)
June 18 – 2.10 miles (21:55, 10:32 pace)
June 19 – 5.10 miles (46:23, 9:05 pace)
June 20 – 5.20 miles (45:55, 8:49 pace)
June 21 – 9.20 miles (1:24:48, 9:14 pace)
June 22 – 6.20 miles (58:12, 9:23 pace)
Total Miles: 72.2 miles
2014 Total Miles: 1,044.3 miles
2 comments:
Great post as always. The past few have been outstanding starting with your Boston experience, which was amazing, to through the hamstring lesson, training in the heat and your obsession with running. We are very proud of you and look forward to further musings.
Since the Boston Race, I have been very reflective. Not sure why. Perhaps it was because I was afraid I was going to have to stop or seriously curtail my running. The good news is that I am almost fully recovered and don't have to stop running.
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