The Reasonable Runner

I will happily give you that answer now, YES! No matter how often, how fast, or how far you run, you are a great runner.

When training, working towards a goal, or trying to achieve a personal best in your running, it is easy to feel as though you are failing, or that you’ll never be the runner you want to be. It is incredibly important to always remember that your run will always be unique to you. We can look to other athletes or those with a different body type or shape and get discouraged thinking, how am I ever going to be like that? I have good news for you, don’t be like them, always run for and be yourself!

When I first started running races, I would watch the racers ahead of me and wish I was running as quickly or with as much strength and power as they did. I wanted to be as fast as them, and at times I’d allow that to make me feel as though I was failing. Then after one of my races, a man came up to me and told me I was his pacer for the duration of the race, that truly blessed me! Don’t be so focused on what other people are doing or achieving that you forget how far you’ve come and where you are going. You may be trying to catch up with that runner ahead of you, but don’t forget someone is behind you, thinking that same thing about you!

Let yourself run those recovery miles, allow yourself to have an off run, and give yourself a break when you need it. Every run you go on helps to make you a better runner, and give yourself the grace to get there. No matter your pace or the length of your longest race, you are a runner, and you’re doing a great job. Keep it up and remember why you put those sneakers on. Don’t let running rule your life, but let it become one beautiful part of who you are!