I have been a casual runner for more than 15 years now. I am not breaking any records during my runs but I enjoy the ability to be in nature and sweating it out with fellow runners.  This morning I completed yet another 5k and as I was on my course I started thinking about all the years that I have participated in runs and what I’ve learned. 

Running is a great cardio exercise for me, it is also a great stress reliever; I think that is why I was drawn to it all those years ago. Regardless of your level of commitment, running challenges you. It pushes your mental and physical ability and if you allow it to, it can sweat away the daily stressors and help you think. My thoughts today were the parallels of what I have learned from running and what I have learned in life. 

First: You are capable of more than you think.  If you have never run in your life the first few steps of this newfound exercise can feel overwhelming, exhausting and out of reach.  You will question your sanity and the sanity of anyone who has willingly decided to adopt this sport. If you start slowly, walking, slow-paced jogging, just putting one foot in front of the other, you will build up conditioning, resilience and eventually run a full mile without stopping.  If you are in reasonable health, your body will carry you all the way to the finish. The problem is usually convincing your mind that you are capable of running that first mile, even after you have decided that you want to do it.

Life is the same; you can make decisions about the things that you want or may have opportunities to pursue a dream but sometimes doubts about your capabilities creep in. You may not think that you are talented enough, that your ideas will not carry you all the way but just like running that first mile, you can never be sure until you put one foot in front of the other and take small steps to prove that you are capable of more than you think. 

Second: No matter how hard things get, keep moving forward. Every runner will tell you, that running is not easy.  There will come a point (no matter how many miles you have logged) that you will want to stop, because it is hard.  When you are in the humidity of the early morning, sweat dripping from every inch of your body, your heart beating rapidly and your breath seems so far ahead of you that you cannot catch it. You will want to stop and call for a ride, but you don’t. You slow down; you walk if you have too. You keep moving forward to get to the finish line.  

The older we get and with each passing year we realize that the same happens in life, sometimes you are simply tired and do not want to go to that job, or to that function or have any obligations, but you keep going. Age and maturity teach you to be selected with how you spend your time and with whom, but you learn to keep moving forward. The reality of being an adult is responsibilities does not stop because you are tired. Life throws curve balls that are not always pleasant. No matter how hard things are, you do not stop, you may slow down and take breaks, but you must keep moving forward.  

Third: The “doing” is the hard part. Making yourself get up in the morning to go for a run or signing up for that 5k with a 5:30am show time and a 6am go time. Pulling yourself out of a cozy bed and putting on shoes to log miles that can make your body ache for the rest of the week, this is not something that everyone can do.  Running is a very popular sport these days but not everyone has the discipline to run, even if they aspire to. 

This is life’s greatest obstacle. Just following through with goals, having desires and not creating time or space to make them a reality.  With all the distractions of the world, it can seem impossible to have the willpower to focus on any one task. Most people want to achieve goals in their life, but most don’t because the road between wanting and actually doing is insurmountable. Doing the thing that would make you happy is not always easy but is always satisfying, (at least for a little while).

Fourth: Running will teach you to strive for more.  Whether it is a better pace, faster personal record (PR), or a longer distance.  There seems to always be a desire to strive for a bigger goal when it comes to running.  I know when I completed my first 5k, I wanted to know if I could run a 10k, then a half marathon. Completion of a goal is satisfying but it also opens the door to the next goal, which can keep encouraging you to challenge yourself.  

Goals keep life interesting. Putting a plan to action and seeing it come to fruition is very fulfilling but once you complete it, you are usually ready to attempt the next thing. Proving that you are capable enough to see it through and are ready to take on more, is a confidence booster.

Fifth: The race is yours, no one else.  I enjoy signing up for races because of the energy of the crowd and motivation of being around like-minded people.  I am, however, very clear that none of these people are my competition. When I run, I know that the race is mine and no matter how fast (or slow) I go, that I am my only opposition and therefore my pace is the only one that counts (for me). 

I think if more people learned this lesson earlier on, that life would be easier. You are not keeping up with anyone but yourself, we all have a journey to complete when it is our time, no matter who is further ahead or behind us on the journey our focus should be on our own race. I hope to have a healthy enough body to run into my elder years. No matter how many years fall behind me, it may never stop being hard, but I hope to gain continued lessons every time I lace up my shoes and put one foot in front of the other.