I have been running for a few years. I am so happy I started running; it strengthened my body and my mind. Here are four lessons running has taught me.
Compare yourself today with yourself from yesterday
In the past, I often compare myself to others. While sometimes it gives me the motivation to do better, most of the time, it makes me sad. Running has taught me to think differently.
It is pointless to compare myself to Robert Reffkin, who has run 50 marathons for charity, or Eliud Kipchoge, who can finish a marathon in 2 hours. Everyone has a different background, a different story to tell. I ought to focus on finish my current run, telling my story; that’s it.
It makes me happy to see my progress every day. Every day I set out for a run; I improve just a little bit about my run. I went from barely able to finish a 5k to completing a half marathon. It is nothing compared to what Eliud has done, but that is not the point. I compete with myself. It was a huge win.
A stronger mind is more important than a stronger body
To this day, I still think the most challenging part of a run is tieing my shoelaces. I never run out of excuses to skip a run. It could be the weather, a non-essential itch, or work. I always regret coming up with those excuses later. If I overcome those excuses and make the run, I feel happy during the run. I feel happier after the run. I used to think my body would be my biggest limitation for completing a run, but now I think it is the mind. Running helps me build a stronger mind. I imagine myself being a runner and an athlete when I run. A runner mindset makes me what to run more, run faster. It makes me stronger physically and mentally.
Be Focused
In the past, I tend to run with an audiobook on. I thought I would be more productive as I can finish a book while completing an exercise. In reality, I got the worst of both activities. I would be not paying attention to the act of running, my posture, my cadence. I also didn’t get the fulling out of the audiobook.
Nowadays, I still wear ear pods when I run, but instead of listening to audiobooks, I run with Nike’s running app. It has training cues that help me guide the run. I also play a cadence app in the background; it helps me maintain a constant running cadence so that I can run at the most efficient rhythm. As I am more focused on the run, paying more attention to each step I am taking, I am getting better and better each run. I did a half-marathon last year for the first time, and I am not stopping there!
You are the most deciding factor
Regardless of one’s background, road condition, your athletic strength, the most critical factor of a good run is still yourself. The environment around you may make the run harder; the weather could be extremely cold, you could have a work deadline. There could be pedestrians on the road. It might be snowing or raining. It might be a lot of traffic intersections in a run. No matter the outer circumstances, the deciding factor of a run is still yourself. I could still have a good run if I prepare well. I could wear more layers if it is cold, I could design my route to have the fewest traffic stops and close a safer route. I just need a good pair of shoes in a typical run, and all the others are just cherries on top. It is up to me to make a run better. I think it is true for many other things in life as well.
I hope everyone has learned something from my running experience! Let’s start running now, it is never too late.
Originally published at https://timwellsaid.com on July 29, 2021.