Running Thoughts

Hello there! Today is everyone's favorite day: Monday! Ok so maybe it might be the most hated day, but I tend to think Mondays fly by faster than most days of the week, so at least there is that. I went on a long run yesterday in downtown Portland and I began drawing some interesting parallels between running and life in general. Yes kind of a weird comparison, but I was surprised of how many ideas seemed to flow between the two concepts. So get ready for a bit of a rant/mind dump.

• Running like life is a contact sport. You can't live it through someone else. There isn't an app or a service to hire in order to log your miles for the week. You personally have to get out there and pound the pavement, not just live vicariously through that gym rat on social media that won't stop posting about how many hand stand push-ups they can do. 

• You are going to have good runs and some really REALLY bad runs. It is humbling to have those terrible runs, no matter how much they suck. They make you realize that you can always challenge yourself to be better. Do better. The more pain you feel, the stronger you are getting. 
• Overall, running isn't exactly a feel good exercise. It really can hurt. And when it doesn't hurt, it is very monotonous. Just like your day to day life, you just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  

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But you do it for those highs- the moments where everything truly falls into place. When you hit your PR or when you cross that finish line at a race, you can finally see how the sum of small parts all slides together to support that overall goal.

• Getting tips and advice definitely can help! I love talking to other runners or reading about other peoples experiences. It really helps you feel like your part of a larger community. I feel very similar when it comes to other things in life. When I can talk to a mentor or friend who has experienced something I'm going through, it makes a world of difference. Whether it's to wear body glide during your long runs or keep a list of achievements throughout the year to help you fill out your year end review, talking to people and hearing their experiences and advice really has helped me thus far. 
• I believe that there is a balancing act in life. Now I'm honestly not a religious person at all, but I tend to find that the really good stuff tends to balance out the bad crap we have to deal with. The only problem is that the timing is usually off for everyone. There are times when tons of bad stuff keeps piling up, and you can't find a silver lining anywhere. Unfortunately sometimes you have to search and find the good stuff. It reminds me of running hills. Boy does it suck running up a steep hill a few miles into your run. It feels like it will never end. But there is always the reminder that what goes up must come down. Running down those steep hills on your way back always feels that much more empowering knowing what you had to do in order to get over them. 
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• Everyone goes at their own pace. You can't compare yourself to others without driving yourself crazy. I'm not a very fast runner, and that used to bother me in the beginning. But everyone is different- they have different experiences, traumas, battles, successes and failures. Forget everyone else and try to be the best you there is, because you'll never be anyone else. 
• I've noticed that in our mid twenties, a lot of people are progressing in different parts of their lives faster than others. Some people are still in school, working towards a post graduate degree while others are working on stepping up in their jobs. Some people are getting married and taking steps there. Others are travelling the world and getting to know themselves. It's ok that everyone is moving at a different pace in different parts of their lives. Don't judge yourself based on where your peers are. 
• Recovery is critical. Whether its getting over a breakout, sleeping until 2pm on Saturday after a long week, or stretching sore muscles, it is important to learn your breaking point and how to rejuvenate and recover. It's easy to be hard on yourself and continuously push to the breaking point, but you have to also be smart and kind to your body or else you won't recover adequately and it will affect your performance later on. 
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• Once you've past your prime in running (injury, age, fatigue), you begin to share your story with the younger generation in hopes that they can learn from your experiences and mistakes. 
• In the end of both a run and life, everyone smells bad and doesn't look great. It's a universal thing. It's not just you. 

Not sure if this jives with anyone else, but these comparisons really struck a chord with me yesterday during my run. Have a good one!

P.S. Hilarious- Thoughts You Have On A Long Run