22 June 2007

Running and Life

What running has taught me about life (in no particular order):
  1. You don't run a personal best every time; sometimes you feel like crap and have to take three walk breaks in five miles.
  2. What you eat definitely affects how you run. Indian food the night before a 5-miler is not a good idea.
  3. You'd be amazed how much farther you can go on when someone looks at you menacingly and taunts you from across the street.
  4. A lot of good music helps me cope with the difficult days.
  5. No matter how good you think you are, some little 10-year-old (or 80-year-old) will always beat you at your next race.
  6. It's so much easier to run a long race when people are cheering for you along the way.
  7. It's easier to stick with training if you've already paid registration fees for a future race.
  8. Some races are about speed; some races are about endurance. Knowing which is which is priceless.
  9. Sometimes, the best time to run is in the rain.
  10. If one part of your body (namely, the foot) is off, the whole body pays for it the next day.

That's all I've got for now; feel free to add your lessons in your comments.

2 comments:

Kerri said...

Some lessons learned:
- If you focus on something other than the pain, the run seems shorter.
- Breathing with a rythm will keep you focused, forces a pace, and clears the mind (breathe in for 2 steps, out for 2 steps).
- The first run after having a baby should not be an "easy" 3 miler.
- Crossing the finish line knowing you did your best is an addictive rush...it leaves you wanting to run another race.

Anonymous said...

No matter how far you run, there you are.