Last year my big goal race was in April. This year, my goal race was in March. While it is an enormous sense of achievement to get it done early, it does mean that as we head into peak racing season, I am now jealous of everyone who is now out there getting it done!
April, in many countries, is peak marathon season in particular, with some of the biggest events taking place and we will see that in the next few weeks with Manchester in England, Boston in the USA and the London marathon taking place, and just last weekend we had Paris, Milan, Brighton and more all happening.
“wishing I was also out there with them”
I love seeing people I know complete events – regardless of the distance – and achieve so much through their training and then on the big day itself, but I have to confess it does leave me wishing I was also out there with them. However, I know that I am doing the right thing, for my long term fitness and health, by not attempting to do too much right now.
I wrote last week how I am just trying to get a bit of normality back into my training after pushing myself so hard through the winter to be able to complete my first ultramarathon. It would be very easy, given the amount of fitness I have built up through that period, to keep on pushing, but I do not believe that would be the right thing to do.
“a solid base level from which to build”
That being said, I did go out and run a half marathon distance at the start of last week, just as a training run. One of my goals for last year – and the same for this year – is to run a half marathon every month. This is a great target to have and one which ensures that I maintain a decent level of endurance fitness through the year. It also means that if I do decide to tackle another race, then I have a solid base level from which to build. Not that i am planning another ultramarathon anytime soon (if ever). The half distance was hard, with a long section against the wind coming home, and it did make me wonder how on earth I ran that distance, plus twenty more miles, just a few weeks ago!!
Since completing the D33 event, there has been a load of coverage in the media of some other amazing ultra achievements – from Jasmin Parris and all of the Barkley Marathon finishers to the appropriately name “Tough Geezer” who has just spent the past year running the length of Africa. These are unbelievable achievements for them and I am sure, the culmination of years of effort to get there.
“comparison is the thief of joy”
They certainly put my achievements in the shade, but I am a firm believer in the Theodore Roosevelt quote that “comparison is the thief of joy”, and as such, all of my achievements stand on their own. This is simply because they are my achievements and no one else. I know how much has gone into them. I know how tough they have been for me. I know the sacrifices I have made to achieve them. And as such, no one else knows what I have gone through to reach the various finish lines which I have reached and the joy which these achievements have brought.
It is easy to compare yourself to others – trust me, the reason I am writing this is because over the past few weeks I have looked at these others and thought, “wow, these guys are proper runners” – but this is self defeatist nonsense. Whatever your achievements are, they are the greatest simply because they are yours. This is what I think when I look at my medals on the wall. This is what I think when I look at my book of race bibs. This is what I think when I look back at pictures of me like this.
There is no harm in being proud of anything you have achieved in life, and there is no point in looking around and wishing you had achieved something else just because you see someone else doing it. Far better to be inspired to achieve more by the achievements of others than comparing your achievements to there’s.
This was brought home to me at the weekend when I went to a nearby parkrun to pace thirty six minutes. For me, at my current level of fitness, thirty six minutes for a 5k parkrun is very easy running, but for others, thirty six minutes is a goal they are aiming to achieve, so I am happy to try anything I can to encourage someone to get to that time.
“encouraged her to push to the finish”
In the event, I ran most of the second half of the race with a young woman who was doing the parkrun as part of her first ever attempt to run 10k. As we ran she also told me she had signed up to her first 10k race, and even a half marathon in the summer. We chatted about this on the way round and as we got to the last few hundred yards and I encouraged her to push to the finish, she thanked me for the chat and taking her mind off the run itself.
This what volunteering with running is about for me – whether it is pacing at parkrun or leading at my local jogscotland group. It is about trying to use my experience to encourage others so that they can reach whatever goals they want to set for themselves. And if their goal is to have a nice run and a chat with pals – never mind any racing – then that is good enough. I love the excitement of racing, but I know it is not for everyone. What should be for everyone is finding joy in their achievements, whatever they are.
Over the next few years, yes I will have some FOMO moments. This weekend is the Rotterdam Marathon and the Manchester Marathon, two events I have done in the past. Then there will be the London Marathon, the event I would love to do, and yes I will be entering the ballot once again this year in the faint hope that I manage to get in. But I will also be watching them knowing what I have achieved already this year, and being totally satisfied with that.
Share this:
craigaw 1969 
A half a month is a good goal, even if you have to make up the route your self.
People probably think we are crazy to head out the front door and come back in a few hours. Who goes out for a three hour run?
Volunteering is a lot of fun. I volunteer for a local 5K series and at the Boston Marathon. Sometimes people are stressed out, but you get to help them and perhaps give some advice.
Sometimes just a few words of encouragement can really make a difference for somebody.
And most people are happy and in a good mood at bib pickup and at a race.
LikeLike