Running for 21 Kilometers Teaches You Life Lessons
Hello, folks! Here I am with a new post on my fitness journey! If you've read my previous post on different fitness habits, I mentioned there how sharing to others how you do your fitness journey makes a difference. Some people wouldn't care much on your workout routines or the fact that you worked out today. However, by merely seeing what you shared can make them feel like, "Hey, why haven't I even started that when I can also do it?"
Why choose running?
With the kind of personality that I have, I love beating personal records and finishing together with people. For some, they enjoy a different fitness activity and that is completely okay. As what I mentioned in my previous articles on health and wellness, fitness should not be something that will give you only pain; it should also be combined with a well-deserved pleasure and enjoyment. Moreover, apart from running there are other fitness activities you can also enjoy as much as I do!
Without any further ado, let me share to you some lessons I learned about running 21K in the latest Manila Marathon today, June 23, 2019. (You see, even experiences like this gives me a moment of introspection)
1. No matter how long it takes you, you will get there.
Life is like a marathon. Sure, there are people who stand out, reach the finish line first, and even get recognized in podiums. However, as I see it, it would be hard for some, it would be easy for others, but the end point is still the same: you are going to reach the finish line. Whenever I do business talks, I could always give this analogy since people might have different speeds or pace in running and for you to succeed, you should not look at those other people who went way farther than you and compare yourself to them. Perhaps, you needed to make valuable life choices first, to keep you smoothly running (such as choosing a good pair of shoes fit for you!)
2. There will people you will meet along the way. They can either inspire you or make you feel down depending on your mindset.
To those of you who are running, have you ever felt motivated when people are trying to cheer you up saying it's the last 5km? "You can do it!" they said. But are there instances wherein you felt like you can't do it because most of the people look way stronger than you or you are lagging behind?
Many people admire me because they always tell me that I can do a lot of things. I can make them possible. Honestly, I am an achiever but this does not entail easy work. It would be easy right now but it requires strict discipline because if you want to settle for the best, you don't do things on your comfort zone. However, people seeing this greatness in me has its potential drawbacks, and one of them is: People think they cannot do what I do. As a person who aspires to influence people, this isn't a good thing, but can I do something with it?
Yes and no. Yes, because by writing these articles, sharing things to people, I can make you feel that I am also like you, who started small and had the process of developing myself. No, because if people feel that I am good and they feel inferior or down, I cannot be the person who can change their mindset, but them.
Thank you Coach Ivan, an ultramarathoner, for coming with me even though this is something lower than his expertise!
A mentor of mine told me recently, "You know, keep on being better and achieve more. People might be inspired, and that's a good thing. But those people who compare themselves to you, you cannot change that, because it's already their mindset. Change has to come from them."
3. It will hurt, but the pain is for your improvement. The question is, are you striving for growth or are you going to stop when the pain goes away?
Yes, it was a little bit painful when I did running for 21k. However, as I did my previous 10kms (like my first one last January), it was more painful. Less workout and training is the reason why there is pain during that time. However, that did not stop me from joining the next races. Knowing that it would entail pain of some sort, are you going to go for it, or just stop there? (Anyway, you did 10k already.)
Like most life's challenges, we are pushed to certain limits. We might be questioning people, our God (to some who believes in Him), and even situations around us. Once again, it is still proper mindset and attitude on how we see those things. In psychology, there is what we call situational or external attribution, wherein we attribute specific behaviors on the situation we are in. For example, some people would say, these phrases:
I can't lose weight. My work entails sitting 8 hours a day.
I think I cannot start a business. I don't have money. I'm not born in a rich family.
There's nothing I can do with the traffic. I always end up being late in appointments.
We have seen success stories of people who achieved specific things and people feel like they are exceptional. Yes, they are but what they did is simple: proper attitude have been ingrained in them for a long time. The thing about these people is that, they did not let situations control their lives. You want to lose weight and be healthy but you keep on working in a job that does not give you any benefits except for money. Business? You don't want to because you don't have resources where in fact that's the reason why you need to actually start. You are not changing your behavior and compromise other people just because there's traffic when its inevitable but you can actually wake up early.
Okay disclaimer, there are external situations that could be controlled better, say, by the government (traffic, for example) but the point is, endless complains wouldn’t get us anywhere.
It is the natural tendency of humans to settle for comfort. Even this phrase will challenge you. Knowing that it is our natural tendency, are we going to go for the comfort or are we going to prove that even it's our natural tendency, we can still still strive for growth?
Well, I hope you learned something from these three takeaways from running. I did have some pain, but it is tolerable, and it was actually a fun journey! Thanks to the people who consistently worked out with me, we don't really train hard but we do it consistently and that is better than a one-time hard work. Of course, accompanied with the supplements I take, it helped me lessen the pain and it really added to the good nutrition that I have.
See you on the next run.
