Compete Against Yourself, but DO Compete

I’ve read many Facebook posts where runners berate themselves because they think they run too slow, or not far enough, or some other self-imagined liability. If you’re one of these people – or even if you’re not – this post is for you. I hope you will find these words motivating regardless of the level at which you run.

Let me start by saying that if you’re regularly getting off your rear end and doing something physical, you are way ahead of the general US population. According to StateOfObesity.org:

·         Eighty percent of American adults do not meet the government's national physical activity recommendations for aerobic activity and muscle strengthening.

·         Around 45 percent of adults are not sufficiently active to achieve health benefits.

·         Around $117 billion in healthcare costs are associated with inadequate physical activity.

So, even if you’re “only” walking “only” a mile in 30 minutes, good for you!

However, I do think that we should never be satisfied with our own level of fitness and should always strive to improve it. As we get older Mother Nature will be working against us to take our fitness away, so it is only by constantly striving to improve that we can even keep up.

To be honest, based on race results, I guess I am faster than most recreational runners. That being said, I will never be lining up at the front of a race, and I don’t expect to ever be the overall winner Heck, I can’t even win my age group unless a bunch of other people don’t show up! However, I am only temporarily satisfied with my race results, and I regularly strive to try harder, to go longer & faster. Right now, I can’t see myself ever running more than marathon distance, but only 5 years ago I couldn’t see myself doing a marathon either!

No matter your current pace or your longest distance, I encourage you to keep records of your training and races and plan for a better showing “next time”. Don’t just keep going out there, plodding along doing the same old thing every time. Broaden your horizons. Learn about different training methods & running workouts. Learn about cross-training. Try some weight training (no, ladies, you will NOT get bulky.)  Improve your nutrition. There is an endless supply of opinions out here on the internet. Explore as many as you can, find one that makes you say “Hmmm, I could do that,” and try it out. It may or may not work for you. If it does, keep doing it; if it doesn’t move on.

Finally, spring is around the corner. Get off that treadmill and get outside! Fresh air and changing scenery makes running more enjoyable!