Defining Your Life

One thing I noticed in the years I spent running, hanging out with runners and having long conversations with runners is that there tends to be one common thread amongst serious distance runners, no matter the talent. That is they all seem to have this one moment in the past that they can point to and say, "This is when I decided I wanted to be a good runner, to focus and really achieve."

It seems to be a moment of self-actualization, where they realize what you want out of life and you know the route to go through to obtain it and just make it there. For me, that moment occurred 3 years ago, after a sub-par track season and a lot of effort exhausted for nothing, I came into summer training out of shape and basically lazy. Two things happened, one my dad (in a point of reverse psychology I still owe him for) told me I wouldn't last a week. Second, and most profound was I was going through my old high school running stuff and found the following quote:

"People can't understand why a man runs. They don't see any sport in it, argue that it lacks the sight-thrill of body contact, the color of rough conflict. Yet the conflict is there, more raw and challenging than any man versus man competition. In track it is man against himself, the cruelest of all opponents. The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies deep within him, in his ability, with brain and heart, to control and master himself and his emotions"

In it I found my desire to run. That burning thrill to become more than the guy who is there to make friends and meet people. If I was going to spend 2-3 hours a day at practice, I should be improving myself. I typed up the quote and promptly printed it and placed on the door of my bedroom, everyday I left my room it was what faced me, everyday I went to bed it is what stared me in the face. I went out and worked the hardest I ever had over the summer.

Here is what the crazy thing is, every runner who is truly passionate about the sport and loves its intricacies has a moment like that. The moment where they look around and say, this is something I want to be good at, this is where I want to devote my time and energy. The people who have made this realization in their life are people you can look at and just see the drive and desire in their eyes. They have their goals, their plan; to talk to them is exciting because their passion is unmatched anywhere.

Very seldom do people truly find those pockets of enjoyment, those activities and occupations where you look at them and think, this is where I'd be happy devoting hours of my life to this pursuit. Running is one place where this happens from time to time and it is awesome to see it happen to a runner.