No - The Secret To Running Is Not The Shoes
I know that title is a little pompous, especially considering I’m still fighting to get out the door most days. But it occurred to me tonight that I’ve stumbled past the secret of running too many times to count.
The Secret To Running - Never Give Up
I didn’t say the secret to running well, that is still a mystery to me. What I mean is more basic. As long as I keep going out for my awkward jogs, I’ll never fail. As long as I try to become a runner, it will happen.
The whole problem for me is motivation.
- Do I really want to become a runner?
- Do I really want to lose weight?
- Do I really want to wake up at 5 AM?
- Do I really want to believe I can do it?
One of the best and worst things about running is that it only happens today. I can’t get in my run for yesterday and I can’t knock off tomorrow’s jog either. Running is now – if nothing at all.
This is a great motivator for someone like me. I’ve been a hit and miss runner for the last fifteen years. The last few years I’ve gotten worse. The last few weeks I’ve completely fallen off. I’ve given up, slept in late, and chosen to lose.
None of that matters when I step out the door. My failures can’t keep up as long as I keep taking the next step. I can still outrun yesterday. Running forces me to exist, to choose who I will be.
So, tonight I ran two awkward starting-over-kind of miles. My lungs were raspy and my rhythm was hard to find. It was anything but a beautiful run, but I was free from my lousy not-running-days from January.
With running, everyday is about starting over. Tomorrow is another day, to win or to fail. I can’t help that tonight, but I like fresh starts.