Five Life Lessons I Learned from Running
By: Klaire Chandler
Well, I’m half way through my 20-week half marathon training and I can finally say that I think I’m getting a hang of things. I started this journey a few months back as a total beginner. I hadn’t run over a mile since middle school cross country and I had no idea how I was going to be able to run 13.1 miles. After picking a manageable training plan, I set out on my journey. I want to take to opportunity to share some of the joys and challenges that I have encountered over the course of these first ten weeks.
If you’re having trouble with motivation, pick a race and pay for it! Seriously, having the knowledge that if I fail to train, I will be out about $100 dollars really helps me keep moving. Try to pick a race that seems genuinely fun to you. I chose the Star Wars Rival Run at Disney because I am a huge nerd and it is totally up my alley. However, maybe you want to pick a race that gets you out into nature or one where you get complimentary drinks afterwards. A quick trip to active.com shows the insane amount of races you can choose from. Pick something you want to do, and pay for it to avoid excuses.
Get outside, it’s actually really fun even in bad weather. As a millennial, I have a slight aversion to going out into public spaces. When I first started running I tried to do everything on the treadmill, where I could comfortably watch YouTube on my phone. However, as my runs got longer I was forced to face the great outdoors, and what I found out was that I really liked it! Running outside is so much more enjoyable. Traversing the many parks and paths of Salem has reconnected me with the city and added joy and excitement to my runs. I love to explore and check out new places I haven’t been before. Honestly, even if you don’t run I would encourage to find more time to be outside. Go walk around or bike or skateboard or whatever. Just find some time to enjoy the beauty of Salem, or your own hometown wherever that may be.
Don’t be so hard on yourself! I was ready to quit in my first week of training and I’ve come real close to quitting at least a dozen times since. But, the longer I’ve been at this the more I’ve realized that just like in anything, you have good days and bad days and usually you’re your own worst critic. I ran a 5k recently, my first ever race, I went into the race thinking I would do terribly and came out of the race thinking I did even worse than I expected. However, I was amazed at the end to find out I had come second in my age group. It’s okay to get down on yourself, but you should never let that stop you from giving it your all.
Always be encouraging to others! As I was running that same 5k I saw people all around me being incredibly encouraging to other runners. Part of the race took us through the middle of a town and people shopping stopped to shout encouragement, while people in cars honked us on. One man was running with his young daughter and had out his phone which he used to play her the Rocky soundtrack. Another older woman who ran along near me congratulated me after the race. This spirit doesn’t stop at races. When I run, I love the camaraderie I have with other runners. I’ve encountered more friendly greetings in the Salem Common than I could have ever imagined. You never know the power your good will can have on another person, so always share it enthusiastically.
Finally, drink more water! No life lesson here, just drink more water, it’s good for you and you don’t drink enough of it.
I’ve learned a lot in ten weeks about dedication and commitment. I think running has offered me an immense opportunity to better myself. Not just in the physical sense, but in the mental sense as well. I don’t think any of these lessons apply just to running, I think having more fun, getting outside, and being nicer to ourselves and other are goals that all of us should strive for.
Oh, and drink more water! Just do it!