3.1 Things I Have Learned From Running
Here are 3.1 things I’m learning since I started running 3.1 miles (5K) in the morning. I started to pick up running again in the last few weeks. I’ve added it to my fitness routine to help complement my strength training and my dance training. Running has always been one of those activities that I didn’t really understand why people enjoy doing it. I’ve come to quickly learn that running is a testament to your physical toughness and your mental endurance. One of my favorite quotes is, “Do easy things, live a hard life. Do hard things, and live an easy life.” In this day and age, we are being conditioned to reach for the easier things in life. It makes sense right - find a stable job, live a comfortable life, just live a normal life. Those are all fine things. But, I’ve come to learn by talking to a lot of people that true personal growth comes from being uncomfortable and taking on challenging moments. It’s okay to want a normal life that’s safe. Then there are those of us that want to achieve something greater. It’s different for everyone, but I’ve learned this year that getting used to being uncomfortable is a step in the direction that I actually want to go in to achieve greatness. This is why I started running and this is what I’m (re) learning so far.
1. This is tough. Running feels like one of those things that seem simple enough. But once you start, you quickly learn how your body is being pushed. Especially if you haven’t done it in a while. I tried running back in 2019, originally as a way of losing weight. I wasn’t strength training at the time and I wasn’t in good shape. I would still dance a lot but in terms of endurance, I was a mess. I would run 1 mile a day for maybe 2-3 times a week for a few months but I wasn’t progressing. I did this to prepare for a 5K I set up for myself in July of 2019 - just to see if I could do one. Those 2-3 months that I was running were pretty awful. I didn’t enjoy it but it was the only form of exercise aside from dancing that I was doing. I remember struggling so much just to finish 1 mile and I would just stop, without even a second thought. I was physically and mentally weak. It was only in the last few weeks leading up to the 5K race that I actually started to run the 3.1 Miles - WHICH WERE BRUTAL for me. I was out of shape, had no endurance and I would complain in my mind. The only goal I set out for myself was to finish under 30 mins for 5K and I achieved that, but it was not easy for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t continue running after that. Fast forward to now, 2023, I suddenly felt the urge to start running again! I have now been strength training with weights for the last two years and I’m now in the best shape of my life (and still working to improve), BUT I wanted to take another shot at running again. To my surprise, I was able to complete 3.1 miles on my first run back into it! It’s still tough, but this is just a reminder that you can pick it up again whenever - JUST DO IT!
2. This is mental. As to say that it takes mental endurance as much as physical endurance to keep yourself moving. A lot of times during my run, I want to slow down or even give up but, this kind of training forces you to think differently. On my first run getting back into it, there was a moment in mile 2 where I began to think existential thoughts. Asking myself questions like, who am I? What am I really made of? how much more of this can I endure? All of these questions I was asking myself on the run, made me remember just how mental this activity can be. Think about it like this: you’re sweating, it’s hot, your feet are hurting, your hips are sore, and your legs are starting to feel like jello. So why on Earth, would anyone put themselves through this kind of pain? Because putting yourself in a position that challenges you both physically and mentally pushes the boundaries of what you are really capable of. So when I ask myself now, what am I made of? I tell myself - I am tough, I can do this, I can go just a little further. Just like in other areas of life, you need to have a sound mind to be able to achieve more. Running is teaching me that it’s not just a physical workout, but a mental one too.
3. It teaches you control. Specifically, it has been teaching me how to better control my breathing. When you’re running it’s so easy to just keep panting but it requires controlling your breath to make sure you’re getting enough oxygen to your muscles. There are many things in life that we go about automatically. Breathing is one of them. But just like in meditation, we learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable feeling of being still. In running, we learn to control our breath even when our body wants to breathe fast and heavily. I’m learning to breathe deeply through my nose and mouth and very slowly release that breath, allowing the oxygen to fill my lungs and reach my muscles. This is of course important for the workout itself, but it’s also allowing me to develop a deeper sense of my conscienceness. Since I have to actively think about breathing in and controlling it slowly. I take this lesson into all areas of my life. After all, don’t we all want to feel in control of our lives? Our thoughts and our actions. When you are in control you hold the power.
And finally .1 - that Point One stands for the 3.1 miles in a 5K. That .1 to me represents the final push. When you finally pushed and endured pain for 3 miles you already won. That .1 you finished with - means that you CAN DO IT. YOU DID THAT SH*T.
