Training, Ownership, Community

This past Saturday, I ran a half marathon. Here is what I learned:

1. Training

   Believe it or not, running more actually makes you better at running. Who would have thought?

   There is a Chinese military proverb that says, “sweat more in training bleed less in war.” Growing up playing competitive soccer, the same concept applies. The more effort I put into weekday training sessions, the easier it was during weekend games.

   No matter how much I trained for the half marathon, the total distance I had to run on race-day remained the same. However, by training more I would have been familiar with that feeling of absolute exhaustion, where the body shuts down and the mind takes over.

2. Ownership

   I don’t actually enjoy running most of the time. During the race, I had to constantly fight back thoughts of stopping. I could have slept in. I could have slowly jogged the whole race. Funnily enough, I actually had to pay to be in this much pain.

   But nothing matches the satisfaction of crossing the finish line and knowing you gave everything. How would you feel if someone else ran the race but let you cross the finish line and celebrate? Would you feel the same as if you ran it yourself? This is why running is so rewarding: It’s simultaneously a physical action and a mental battle that cannot be delegated.

   It reminds me of golf, where you are solely responsible for how you perform. And in my experience, this kind of challenge leads to the most growth.

3. Community

   Although no one can run the race for you, having others around you is invaluable. I ran with my two friends who consistently motivated me and kept my legs moving one in front of the other. Without them, I surely would have stopped long before the finish line.

   This reminded me of the importance of surrounding myself with people who push me to be great. During such a strenuous and difficult event, I need others to keep me accountable. And the rewarding feeling of doing something difficult together is hard to match.

   On a broader scope, there were hundreds of spectators cheering us on at every water station, street corner, and especially on the final mile to the finish. It reminds me of how necessary human connection and community is. What a beautiful thing it is to have so many people offer strength, encouragement, and motivation.

After reflecting on the race, I learned many things about myself and the world around me. I hope to continue running and aim to consistently improve my times.

One day, I will be an iron man.

Next step: Marathon

Keep making progress. Change for the better. Live the Heming-way.

Til next time,

Trevor

p.s. Philippians 4:13