Just Keep Running

Running has made a comeback in my life in recent years. I’ve always preferred running as a method of exercise simply because it affords me mental clarity. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and running helps me to get back on track with where I’m going. In 2018 I took up the challenge of running a half marathon with a friend. While I didn’t do my best I thoroughly enjoyed it, so I decided to commit to running another one the following year. 

The second time around, I shaved off about 10 minutes from my previous time and I felt great! Naively, I used that energy to sign up for a full marathon that was only a month out. It’s like when they say “never go shopping on an empty stomach” because you’re prone to purchase things you don’t need. You probably shouldn’t sign up for a full marathon just because you’re excited about it. 

Using the energy I had, I made sure I was training my best so I could guarantee to complete the full 26 miles. At the peak of my training, I ran about 20 miles and didn’t feel too bad. Speaking with other experienced marathoners taught me that no one really runs the full 26 miles in their training so I figured I would be fine and I took a week off to recover in time for the actual race. 

Having the race jitters the night before prevented me from getting adequate sleep and as a result, I woke up later than anticipated the morning of the race. We arrived just in time for me to make my way to the start of the race. There was so much energy there with news crews, professional athletes, live bands playing, and tons of people crowding next to you. 

When we started I let the excitement of everything take over and failed to pace myself and at about mile 3 or 4 I was already paying the consequences for it. My calf started hurting, but not enough for me to stop running so I pushed through it. Besides that, everything was going well until I got to the formidable mile 21. Out of nowhere, for the first time in my running “career”, my knee started hurting very badly. 

I tried to psych myself up by thinking positively but nothing was working and all of a sudden I was overcome with anxiety at the thought that I might not finish the race running. Immediately I called Alicia, my wife, to tell her where I was at and how I was feeling. I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel like crying. A tear or two may have been shed.

Towards the end of the race, I was barely able to keep pace with an 85-year-old woman. She shared with me how that had been the eighth marathon she’s participated in and she only started racing in recent years. This realization was very humbling. However, she shared that what she enjoyed more than finishing was participating in these types of races and that she had plans to do four more before retiring.

Looking back, what made me so upset was the realization that I have limits. That I can’t just will myself to do something great, I have to be intentional about setting myself up for the best possible chance for success. My biggest regret was that I didn’t pace myself. I was so focused on finishing that I missed out on enjoying the experience.

What about you? Are you so goal-oriented that you miss out on enjoying the process? Make sure to take a step back and learn to enjoy the journey. Setting goals and accomplishing them are great, but enjoying the process is just as important. I encourage you to take a step back to acknowledge what you’re doing but also discover why you are doing it. 

Zack