Everything I Learned in Life, I Learned as a Runner

The older I get, the more I realize that (almost) everything I learned in life, I learned from being a runner. So, I decided that over the course of the next week, I'd share a few lessons I've learned along the way. 

Pace Yourself

It’s important to dream big and charge hard in life. Believe me, the famous General Patton quote, “Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way” is part of my digital signature. So, you would figure I’d be the last person to say, “Pace yourself.” But in a Marathon, as in life, one has to realize that 26.2 long miles of road lie before you, and it turns out there is such a thing as "all things in due time."

I came to realize this during my last Marathon when I had pain at Mile 14, and I’ve realized it along the way in life when I’ve had other pain (some of it self-inflicted). I've even come to realize it in writing this blog, at times having to pull back on my love of writing in my leisure time, due to starting a new high-profile job (which I recently did.) But that is life. Sometimes in order to sustain long-term success, you have to pace yourself.

Besides, the journey itself can be filled with a lot of interesting scenery along the way... 


Run for a Cause Greater than Yourself

Whether a Politician or an avid runner, a person ought to run for a cause greater than oneself. I made a decision last Fall that I wouldn’t run a race unless the race itself benefited a cause, or unless I could raise money for a charity while running. This includes my participation in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. a few months ago (where gracious friends and colleagues contributed more than $900 to aid injured troops) and this includes our participation in the upcoming 8th Annual “Pat’s Run” in Phoenix, Arizona to honor fallen hero and football great, U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman. In this day and age, with so many charities coming online, no matter what city you live in there is always a way to raise money or awareness for a cause. Now that’s what I call going the extra mile. 


The Moment You Turn to Look at your Competition, is the Moment You Lose

I ran track in junior high. Now, don’t go calling me Florence Griffith Joyner or anything (unless you’re referring to my nails), but I could hold my own in a competitive race. I’m just obnoxious that way. I also competed as an adult in the Corporate Challenge, an intramural competition that pits adults against other adults from their workplace. To be sure, it was a scene straight out of Mr. Mom, minus the tricycles. (If only we could settle all of our workplace disputes this way!) But I digress.

No two ways about it, I won practically every contest I ever entered --- with a couple of exceptions. I ran the 440, the 880, and was often the final leg of the 1600 4x4 relay. Normally, that is a position reserved for the person who looks like a gazelle with long, lanky legs (a fascinating creature I have never resembled in my entire life), but for some reason the little scrappy runner (that would be "moi") was entrusted to bring home the baton and make up for whatever lost time had occurred earlier among the team.

Oh, but a few times, I allowed myself to be taken off my game. In one particular case, it was the girl in the lane next to me. I swear to God, I could hear her breathing, I could feel her hot breath on the back of my neck, gaining on me. I became so concerned about my competition that I actually turned my head to the right for a moment to look at my competitor, and you know what? The moment I turned to focus on my competitor, the race was over. Not only had I physically flinched (oh sure, I had messed up my physical pace), but more so because I knew I had mentally flinched. Somewhere, within the deep recesses of my brain, I knew I had given up. I had admitted that someone could possibly be faster than I was.


Don’t Get Tripped Up Running with the Pack

I can remember pleading with my parents in junior high about various topics, but specifically the topic of how unfair life was. One particular complaint surrounded the girls at my school who had a seemingly endless supply of Guess jeans in their closets, when I only had two pairs. (Little did I know at the time that those two pairs had cost more than my parents’ first car.)  But my parents were gracious. My Dad would simply reply with, “Well, some girls don’t have any Guess jeans, did you ever think about that?" Then he would add, "You’ve got to realize there will always be someone who has more than you, and someone who has less than you. Don’t compare yourself to other people.” This has turned out to be some of the best advice.  It is true in life, true in running.

You can’t compare yourself to someone who starts out quickly from the starting block. You never know what their game plan is. Perhaps they start out fast, then fade at the end. You never know. I have often been worried I wasn’t able to keep up with Marathon runners I started a race with, only to pass them up later at Mile 16 when they were huffing and puffing and in obvious pain, as I sailed quietly by.

I can’t say it enough, Stay in your own lane. Focus on your own race. In life, and in running, stop thinking about where someone else is and start focusing on setting your own best personal record (PR).


Over the next week, I'll be sharing more about what I've learned in life from my marathon experiences. I welcome you to share yours! E-mail, post it here, or Tweet it!