Reading that totally makes me laugh. There are days I concur. But mostly it just makes me laugh…..
I saw this video a few weeks back, and it sums up many conversations I’ve had about running and training to run marathons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbiuns5_WXM
In 2005, I ran my first half marathon in Detroit. I entered Ford Field (the finish at the time) feeling something north of elation! I collected my medal, mylar wrap, water, banana and bagel and whatever other food they had set out for the finishers, and began my journey UP the stairs to see my family. Yes. You had to go UP the stairs after running 13.1 or 26.2 miles. (they no longer have the finish on Ford Field, thankfully.)
Upon reuniting with my family, my younger son leans over to me and says 2 things (mind you, he is 3 years old at the time)
- Mommy did you win? (To which I replied, no. I finished)
- Then why did you get a medal? (To which I replied, because I finished)
How often is our focus on “winning”, that in the process we miss the point or the purpose in the journey?
I spent countless hours training to run the race, knowing that there was no chance I’d ever “win”. In actuality, the “winner” of the full marathon that year finished a few minutes after I finished my half marathon. Yet, I couldn’t have been more proud of myself for finishing the race.
In order to get to the finish line…..we have to train for the race, and get the courage to even decide to train to run one. If “winning” was the only purpose for deciding to enter a race and train to do a race, then there would probably be 4 Kenyans, 3 Moroccans, 2 Ethiopians and 1 Hanson’s running team member to ever show up at a race. Seriously. The top 10 is comprised roughly with that same population race after race after race. Yet, for the Marine Corps Marathon, which I’m signed up for in October has roughly 30,000 people- many average people like me who don’t get paid to run, don’t have endorsements, don’t have a chance to cross the finish line before anyone else does…..but do it anyway.
Top 5 reasons I have learned from marathon running:
- To set goals. Whether it’s in running or in further ones education or in deciding to live a healthier lifestyle, it all starts with setting a goal.
- Discipline. Distance running requires sacrifice in what you can eat and do during a training season. Sometimes, it requires skipping late night festivities in order to get in enough sleep to train the next day. Discipline.
- Patience. Training season is 16-20 weeks long. That includes daily workouts often covering the same course, leading up to the actual race. Hundreds of hours of training, leading up to a few hours of a race…..patience.
- Courage. To combat all the negative messages we hold in our minds that prevent us from even trying something for fear of failing. It isn’t that I’ve finished 3 full marathons, and 8 half marathons that I find amazing, it’s that I had the courage to even try. I sat on the side lines for 30+ years of my life, and one day decided I didn’t want to anymore. I’m proud of that and hope my children can see that in me. Courage.
- To have fun. With all the griping I do about the monotony of distance running, the truth is it is really fun. I have the best conversations along the way with my “running friends” and am able to see some beautiful cities along the way. If it wasn’t “fun”…I would’ve stopped years ago. Fun.
To leave today with the eloquent words of Ernest Hemingway is a great delight…..”It is good to have an end to the journey; but it is the journey that matters in the end.”
I couldn’t have said it any better.
peace and happy goal setting in your journey…..
peaceinthejourney 