Galen Rupp won the Chicago Marathon on October 8, 2017. Rupp is an accomplished athlete having competed for the University of Oregon and the United States Olympic Track and Field teams.
I am not a runner, however, I am fascinated by the minds and lives of people who run. So many of the runners that I know are independent, determined, positive, and future thinking. The parallels between training for a big run and living life are endless.
Pace Yourself
“In a marathon, if you run too fast, you get exhausted. If you run too slow, you never make it.” ~ Uday Kotak
We only have this moment in time. If we hurry through it, we miss out on the experience, the memory. Be mindful of the moment and allow yourself to savor it before moving on.
“The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running.” ~Unknown
This Too Shall Pass
“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” ~Albert Einstein
Painful moments are just moments. Tap into your wells of resilience and stamina. Reach out to supportive friends and family members when life gets tough. The act of giving up is not the same as pausing or resting. Giving up means not only starting over again, but having to rekindle the motivation. Stay the course and you will reach your goals in time.
Talk to Yourself Positively
“Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired.” ~ George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian
Use affirmations to remind yourself that you can get through the difficult times. “I’m okay, right now.” or “I can do this.” are simple reminders that can carry you through times when you feel like you cannot go any further. Positive thinking increases energy and allows us to continue forward despite struggle.
“With the spirit of endurance, we shall strive in any situation.” ~ Lailah Gifty Akita
Set Goals
“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” ~ Pablo Picasso
Set achievable goals for yourself, then attain them. Once you’ve attained your goals set new goals. Goals keep us moving forward, but only if they stretch us and are achievable. If you set goals that you cannot accomplish in a timely manner, you set yourself up to fail.
Set goals for every area of your life. Consider a career goal, a health goal, and a relationship goal. Start small and create a plan that will guide you to the completion of your goal.
Rest and Recover
“The best of all medicines are resting and fasting.” ~ Benjamin Franklin
Take time regularly to rest and recover. Runners training for races take breaks in their schedule. On a daily basis, this can be as simple as reading for 30 minutes in the evening or going for a walk. Plan time in your week to ride your bike, spend the day at the beach, or take a hike in the mountains. Plan a big trip once or twice a year to allow yourself to completely disconnect and recharge. Resting will allow your mind and body to become stronger and increases endurance.
Between the Miles
I have always counted the miles.
Sometimes they came quick,
Other times slow.
The distance between things,
The way I could know.
Close could feel far,
And far could feel near.
The miles that passed too quickly,
The ones I ran out of fear.
They weren’t all the same,
So I had been told,
The unmarked trails,
And the days I was bold.
Some miles went down,
Spiraling so low,
When I was afraid to look forward,
There was nowhere to go.
The sunset came fast,
And the day turned to night,
But the trails could be endless,
If I looked at them right.
Everything I knew,
All I was told,
The conversations left behind,
The people who grew old.
When the miles stretched out before me,
I wanted to sew them at the seam,
Looking forward and then back,
Holding everything in between.
~ Jacqueline Simon Gunn