If you’ve been reading this blog or following me on Instagram for any length of time, you’ve noticed I guess I’ve branded myself as a runner. Always logging the miles, most of the time struggling and never quite feeling those easy breezy runs that the world chats about.
I’ve always wanted to believe that I’m a pure runner, that I can live on miles alone. That my endurance journey should consist of sweat and grit and nothing else. I would get aggravated with myself that my focus would waiver. I was like a dog chasing a squirrel, then a ball and then another squirrel.
But lately, I’ve found that while I still love the miles, I need to embrace that “lack of focus” because what I’ve been classifying as personal fault is actually turning out to benefit running.
That thing I classified as a lack of focus might actually turn out to be attention to detail. I’m listening to my body and realizing that it craves balance. It craves walks, it craves the pool, the bike, sometimes golf and most importantly it craves time in the gym (i.e. lifting weights).
Turns out that by splitting my time, and giving up some of my time on the road in exchange for these other things, the time I do spend on the road is better time.
I’m a stronger runner, my cadence is naturally faster. My body doesn’t hurt as much and I’m actually excited about the times I am running.
So I’ve been asking myself why has it been so hard to accept the reality that I’m not the 30+ mile a week runner? I’m not a 5 day a week runner.
The only thing I can think is that I’ve immersed myself in the “running world” for so long that I don’t want to change that. It’s what I’ve known and somehow sharing these other interests and other parts of my life (feels wrong for some reason).
Well finally, I’ve decided that I don’t care about these perceptions and that I need to just be me no matter how varied that is. So while the world is telling people to “find their niche”, I’m going to find my niche in variety because that’s who I am and what I love.
I’m going to keep sharing the way it all balances out and the ways it doesn’t sometimes. So come over here to my little corner of the world if you want….funny family stories, sweaty selfies, workout ideas, changes of scenery, and possibly a new perspective on the things we love.
I’m here to be me and if that doesn’t fit a mold….well then…so be it!
Who are you? Do you ever struggle like this?
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