Running Long and Remembering Where You Came From
I guess when you’ve been running long distances for awhile, it seems like no big deal to run 12-20 miles every Sunday. But to the average person, it probably seems a little crazy.
In late spring, I joined the coaching team for a local Run/Walk group. This group trains everyone - runners and walkers - in distances ranging from the 5K to the marathon. Needless to say, we have a wonderfully diverse group. And, because I do my long runs on Sunday, I am training the shorter distance athletes, mainly the 10K people, so that I can run with them for the shorter distances on Saturday and do my runs on Sunday.
As I work with the enthusiastic, dedicated folks - many of whom have never run a race before - I’m reminded of my early days of racing and training. My husband and I trained for our first marathon together in 1996, and I remember on our first “long run” of 6 miles, we weren’t sure we were going to be able to go the whole distance. And, we certainly didn’t know how we would go the full 26.2. But we were excited, determined, and committed. Just like the people I’m coaching now.
It is so fun to see these athletes going farther each week than they’ve ever gone before - it is such a huge milestone for them. I can remember saying, “I can’t believe I just ran 8 miles.” It was such a monumental accomplishment.
8, 10, even 20 miles - those distances don’t seem that hard to me anymore, but I remember how hard they used to be.
Anytime we are doing things that seem “easy” to us - whether it is running 6 miles, doing something with a computer, or writing a paragraph - we must remember that it is not easy for a lot of people.
It’s especially important if you are teaching someone to do something. Most things take lots of practice before we feel comfortable doing it. So be patient, and remember where you came from.