Running is a sport that requires a positive perspective. As we move into the Fall season where trail and road races occur nearly every weekend, those who don’t run races may be asking themselves, why do people voluntarily run 6.1, 13.1, or 26.2 miles?
The answer to this question is different for every runner. For some (including myself), completing a race means accomplishing a goal. For others, a race is an outlet for the competitive spirit, a way to record personal best times, mile splits, etc.
Currently, I am training for my first half marathon in just over a month. Though I have been a runner for years, I never really ran more than five or six miles, because in my head I didn’t think I was capable of any more than that.
Flashback to March 12th, 2016 when I participated in my first “Run to the Pub” 10K. It was then that my perspective on what I was capable of shifted. I ran past someone during the fifth mile who was struggling. I asked him how his run was going and he said, “Lung surgery is making this a lot more challenging”. Here I was running next to someone who had faced a challenge more severe than completing a 10K, yet was out there giving it his all just like every other participant. A week later, I signed up for a half marathon.
It was during this interaction while racing that running and it’s connection to perspective “clicked” for me. Everyday I run, I choose to push past mental challenges and overcome the little voice in my head telling me, “give up”. I happily choose to go the distance, putting in those extra miles in order to be ready for my the goals I have set for myself.
By overcoming the “give up” mentality and replacing it with determination, my goals have become easier to achieve and I have enjoyed the process much more. This determination and positive perspective towards running has translated into many other areas of my life and push me forward when life brings trial, defeat, and challenge.
How will you choose to be positive in the pursuit of your goals today?
Article By: Blaise Collett
ACE Certified Personal Trainer