“The best things in life make you sweaty.”
It's amazing how accurate this
is, in my humble opinion. Actually, let me just lay this disclaimer out now:
everything I right is clearly in "my humble opinion" so I don't think
I'm going to repeat that again.
Back to the quote. If you know
me, you know that I feel very strongly about this-including my sports,
excessive bouts of laughter (never laughed until you literally perspired?
Peeing your pants totally counts), and handful of other joys in life (wink, wink).
This isn't my quote, it's actually from a very famous individual. Surprisingly,
he wasn't an athlete which makes it more powerful and less 'plastic' to me.
So, one day I started running...
I wasn't ever a runner until awhile after I became a mom. I found running to be
a good way to try and get out of the pressures that seemed to loam in every
corner of my life at the time. I needed to make some changes but knew I needed
some clarity before these decisions were to be made. I needed a temporary
escape to help refocus. I wanted new scenery, I wanted new smells, I wanted to
feel the different temperatures that came along with hot summer days and chilly
fall evenings. As a lifelong athlete, I longed to feel the endorphin release
that once surged through my body and knocking down a 3-pointer or
'accidentally' knocking some opponent on their butt for getting a little too
cocky, sense of fitness and mental clarity, and to be the 'jock' that had
previously been some emotionally fulfilling for me. Running was a perfect fit
but it wasn't love at the beginning.
I was influenced as well, encouraged and
motivated. Several things drove me initiatlly. I love listening to what drives
and encourages people--referencing everything from a dream to a Nike
commercial. These things are so different for everyone, unique as their
fingerprint. For some, it's genetics and a internal fire that seems to have
ignited by simply coming into this work. Other people are more driven by
logistics and facts. Numbers and statistics somehow captivate people. Did you
know that 34% of statistics are made up? Think about that.
I find it fascinating how many people are so
easily influenced by others. I'm not saying this is a good thing or a bad
thing, just an observation. I feel that 100% (there I go with statistics
again..) of us have been influenced by one thing or another. I'm not just
talking about life-altering experiences; this includes the effect that media
has on our daily habits, including how we eat, what we drink, and trending
topics. I've witnessed this and experienced it in various forms and have
learned valuable lessons. On a not-so-fabulous note, influence can tear you
down- stripping you of all individual identity; demolish any new ideas that may
have even just the slightest hint of social rejection; encourage self defeating
and demoralizing habits; encourage hate and prejudice; cheer on a crappy
haircut; blah blah blah. Who's to blame? We are people. Remember this:
"Guns don't kill people, people kill people." I think that can apply
to so much more than gun control and social issues.
Human nature encourages us to be
influenced, which I feel is way we are all susceptible-just some of us more
than others. Marketing geniuses have developed and reaffirmed practices and
strategies that play off this simple notion…and it's working and padding bank
accounts. Everything from inspirational mantras and punch lines to technology
designed to specifically play off our senses. It's no secret that companies
pipe in certain smells, audible cues, and color schemes that are designed to
influence-typically purchases. Prison systems have created cells that are
painted with a certain color to directly influence inmates' attitudes. The
examples are endless and overwhelmingly successful. Big businesses have made
millions of it and Americans have gotten fat over it.
I was influenced by a few people
early into my running career. One individual, who was fairly established as a
runner, annoyed the hell out of me. Ever have someone just rub you the wrong
way for no reason whatsoever? Yep, this was exactly how it went down..then
later on they gave me a reason which added to my fuel. So, yes, I am not proud
to say this..I kinda wanted to kick their ass at their own game. That sounds
stupid and immature, but it was what it was. I'll own that. Also, passive
aggressive revenge seemed far more rewarding at the time and was also more
likely to keep me out of jail. So, I laced up.
More importantly and much more
impacting was another individual had a much more positive influence on me
through ways of encouragement, social acceptance, and a little ego boosting. I
was driven to please and didn't want to let this person down. My humble
beginnings in running were just that-humble. I mostly ran alone (ok, still do…
but always with my head down. I think this had something to do with being a
rookie in the sport and not knowing if I had it in me to meet my own personal
expectations-which were still unclear to me at the time. No one expected
anything out of me and there should have been no pressure to succeed. I put
that on myself, my own psychological torture began when I took on this new
challenge. Looking down was likely out of respect and reverence to the running
gods and accomplished athletes that I would routinely see on the streets,
sidewalks, and track at the Y. Regardless, looking down didn't help me see what
I could accomplish. This individual encouraged me to look up and I liked that. So,
I laced up.
I signed up for my first race
ever-5k. I know..Ooooooo! The anxiety that I had that day was pretty intense.
It's funny to me now but I can still remember the feeling. I was a newbie, knew
nothing of strategy, nutrition, mechanics, diaphragm breathing, pacing, hill
technique, etc. I knew that I should start at the gun and finish at the finish line.
The gun went off and I successfully completed the first part..now to find that finish
line. Adrenaline shot through me like a bat outta hell and it fueled me. I
loved that. I felt like I looked like the roadrunner on Saturday morning
cartoons (yes, I am dating myself here) where you couldn't even see the
legs-they were just a blur. Looking back, my pace was far from impressive but
at the time I was a beast on a mission. I could literally feel it surging through my
body, something that I can still feel today and have learned to manage for key
components in racing-a learned skill. Seeing the finish line came quicker than
I expected. Even more unexpected was the medal I got-first overall female. WTH?
I killed my first race, I was hooked, and have not looked back. My running,
which was inspired by a handful on contradicting things now was fueled by
accomplishment and little more pride. I started running with my head up after
that. I started looking not just at what I could see in front of me but what I
wanted to see in my future. I started looking at things proactively vs
reactively and found a new understanding in goal-setting. Life changing.
That's how it all started. Some
passive aggressive revenge, social motivation, and insanely high expectations
imposed on me by no one but myself. I have thought about what would have
happened back then if I didn't do well at the race, if I didn't take home some
hardware. It scares me and saddens me at the same time. All I know is that the
experience provided new direction, new passions, new goals, new amazing
friends, and a new confidence that encouraged some pretty life changing
decision making. All because I laced up. Epic.
I also think about why I started,
especially noting that part of my inspiration was far from admirable. This
reminds me that great things can potentially come from any situation. My less
than positive motivation wasn’t the driving force to my success that day, but
it did catapult a driving factor that was. I've always been competitive but
didn't always channel it correctly. This channeled drive opened up the doors to
the true meaning of running for me and the passion that has positively
influenced my life. I make conscious efforts to look for situations like that
and lean towards being more optimistic. This takes effort and can pull people
out of their established routine and comfort zoen--which is where some people
screw themselves. It is much easier to take a pessimistic approach to people
and situations because if we expect pain and failure, it doesn't hurt as bad
when it happens. I'm going to be bold and call that laziness, among other
things. Nothing worth having comes easy, in most circumstances. (..Except for
buying gummy bears in bulk--easy and fabulous). Additionally, the efforts used
to take proactive steps towards optimistic results are often wasted on self
destructive reactive measures. It would have been extremely easy to not put in
the efforts required to start running. I can cite a ton of excuses (yes
"excuses" not reasons) on why I could have not starting running. It
was a choice-a choice to set aside insecurities, face my nemesis, challenge
myself, restructure parts of my life, and change the way I looked at life (head
down…to head up). The freedom of choice is powerful. For me, this amazing sport
was my starting block to future accomplishments. All because I laced up.
“The best things in life make you
sweaty.” I take this literally but also hypothetically. I think the author
could have been referencing that the best things that we will experience in
life requires effort, drive, proactive planning, and challenge. Get sweaty,
lace up..or do whatever it takes to get what you want, what you need, and what
you truly deserve. I think it is perfectly naturally to start running with our
heads down but if we 'don't sweat', that's where we always will be. Looking up
takes some serious attention…but the view is amazing.
I'm trying to apply this concept
to other parts of my life-my career, family, relationships, and faith.
"Bring home some hardware" or "medaling" in life is not a
daily routine but there neither is bonking out (term for hitting a physical and
mental wall in a run), but every day I
will lace up.
Guess the author of my quote?
….Edgar Allen Poe (literal bad ass)
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