Skim through any running magazine on the market, and you will find plenty of advice about how to run your fastest race ever. Is this really a surprise? Learning to run faster requires the purchase of many things - from coaching services to expert books, from lighter shoes to high tech gels and electrolytes designed for top performance. Running fast is sexy, or at least we are led to think that way. The running industry may be built on our desire to improve our health and wellbeing, but it grows larger on our insecurities that we are not doing it well enough.
You don't have to buy in to this nonsense.
Think back to why you started running in the first place. Most of us did not take up running because we wanted to start building a list of PRs. We started running to lose weight, to find clarity, to take charge of our health, to seek happiness. Good reasons, all. None of these ultimate goals require us to push harder and harder at every race if we don't want to. They can be accomplished by simply running happy - at whatever pace our bodies suggest is comfortable to us.
I am not saying that you should never try to run fast and get a PR. For some people, the drive to make improvement is what brings them joy. But we should never buy in to anyone else's idea about what matters in running. We should define for ourselves what constitutes a great race. Is it doing our best that day? Enjoying the experience? Connecting with friends?
For me, what matters in running is enjoying the experience that day. Some days that might mean that I am letting loose and letting my legs fly. Other days I'm chatting with friends and petting the livestock along the course. Through it all, I try to keep a smile on my face and the love of running in my heart. The races when I become too focused on how I am doing versus the clock are the races that I look at as being poor - even when I am running as fast as ever - because those are the races I cannot remember.
What matters to you in your running?
I love this post... It's such a good reminder. Coming back from an injury has made my runs so much sweeter. Pace and distance don't matter... it's just that I get to be outside and moving that makes me happy!
ReplyDeleteI love just getting out and having that quiet time to myself to reflect. Although i do love getting faster too!
ReplyDeleteYou made me think about my goal when I run ...
ReplyDeleteI love running with friends, (quicker or slower than me) bcos I enjoy their company. I also love to run alone to listen the birds and feel the peace.
Lately I’ve seen that I enjoy more in longer races, probably bcos I don’t pay attention to the time.
But I have to be honest, in a short race (10k) if I feel good, I like to push me, bcos I like to feel sexy running fast, lol
In short, I just love the sport!!
Jose - you make a great point. There is something sexy and empowering to running fast - and I think we can all feel that when we push ourselves as hard as we can. And I think it's okay to feel that way when we are going fast for us - even if that "fast" is someone else's "slow".
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