(Remember… we don’t SAY this to super fast runners. We just think it 😉 )
Being comfortable with who and where I am as a runner in the face of amazing athleticism is a recurring challenge for me. The more enthusiastic about running I get, the more I pick up running books and magazines, talk to other runners, and realize just how much of a beginner I am.
The crazy part is that some of you are probably reading this and thinking, geez, seriously, your last long run was 10 miles, that’s INSANE that you think you’re a beginner runner! I know. I would have been shocked if a year ago, when I was struggling with week five of Couch to 5k, you had told me that I’d be training for my second half marathon and running double digit mile runs.
So, if me a year ago would be SUPER impressed with me now, why is it that I get online and start reading about running and feel deflated?
Most running bloggers, tweeters, and magazine editors write about running because they love it so much, do it so much, and have been doing it for so long. They have enthusiasm, volume, and experience. They are fast. They run a lot. They have been running a lot for a long time. They love running, they love pushing themselves, and they love finding new ways to run faster. And some of them have been doing this for YEARS.
Following Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher on twitter is not going to make you feel better about your own running. (It may, however, make you feel better about how much free time you have, and how nice it is that you feel accomplished after a thirty minute run.)
That doesn’t mean I’m hitting the un-follow button on twitter and unsubscribing from all those running magazines. It just means I need to read with perspective.
Tips For Being Inspired, Not Deflated, When Faced With Awesome Runners
- Don’t think “If they can do it, I can do it”, think “If the human body is capable of THAT, then I’m capable of pushing a little harder on this run, today”
- Remember that the people most likely to talk about running, publish books on running, blog about running, etc. are the people who are super enthusiastic about running and therefore the most experienced. There are a lot more people out there like you and me, starting races in the back, struggling with walking breaks, and all the rest. (Which I think is blog worthy 😉
- Remind yourself that you’re probably better at something than this amazing runner you’re reading about or talking to is. Life is all about balance, and it takes a lot of time to be a fantastic runner. They’re probably jealous of your cooking skills, or the number of books you read over the summer, or the balance you’ve got between your family time and running time.
- Focus on the effort you’re putting in, not on the results you’re getting from that effort. You and a more experienced runner may put in similar efforts with very different results, but if you keep at it, you will change. Be proud of working hard, keep track of your runs and your miles, and then watch yourself improve over time.
- Remember that every run is doing something good for your health and your mood. You don’t have to run that far or that fast to increase your life expectancy and boost your quality of life now.
- Don’t feel like to identify as a runner, you need to run a certain speed or distance. To identify as a runner, you need to run. Are you running? Is it hard? Are you doing it anyway? All right then.
Love it! Thank you 🙂
Thanks Wendy!
Thank you! I love this! I was getting discouraged lately reading about other runners on facebook etc…this helps put it back into perspective. I continually have to remind myself that I am doing this for me. That I feel better when I run. It doesn’t matter that I am not training for a marathon, it does not make me less of a runner…right? 😉
Running is a good club to be part of, but there are a lot of really fast, dedicated runners out there who love it so much that they’ve put in the time and energy to become great at it. It can be hard to remember that running is something that is worth doing, no matter how well you are doing it!
This is something I needed to hear. My family are all runners and they are all competitive. I don’t want running to be a competition with them, partially because I know I’ll lose, but because running isn’t about them. Plus, I tell myself that just because I can only run 7 miles in the time it takes my sister to do a half marathon, doesn’t mean that I’m putting less effort into running.
I think when looking for plans on how to become a better runner, I get intimidated because I see what other people are doing and compare it to myself poorly.
“running isn’t about them” – so true. Intellectually – you’ve got an amazing handle on this. Emotionally, I could see how Thanksgiving would be annoying when everyone’s running the Turkey Day race and you’re trying to do your own thing, and not be compared. I think it’s tough when you and someone close to you enjoy the same thing but with different levels of experience and energy devoted to it.
I’m lucky in a way because my immediate family does not run, and my husband’s family are such intense runners (his brother is a professional tri-athlete) that they don’t seem to expect ANYONE to compare to them.
I totally agree with your sentiments about the importance of the effort you’re expending – you’re running despite it taking longer, and that’s impressive in and of itself.
You inspire me. I am not a fast runner and you helped me see that that is okay.
Thanks Marcia! I’m glad to hear it, because running is such a good thing to be doing, no matter how slow we’re doing it!
LOVE.THIS.
Thanks Michelle 🙂
Found your blog through #RunChat on Twitter and I have to say I LOVE THIS POST!!! I started running in May after a very long hiatus and found myself getting upset that I needed walking breaks. I now know that it’s OK to be the best kind of runner I can be and to stop comparing myself to others but it took me awhile to get there. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
Thanks Anita! I’m so glad you liked this post – it’s something that I think every runner struggles with. Talking to non-runners always reminds me what an accomplishment running is, which is something I can forget when I talk to a group of runners who all run much faster (and further!) than me.