Friday Ramble 07/08/22

This week: A few words of advice for my younger self. Plus a call for reading recs and a super-quick chickpea salad recipe that hits all the right summer notes. 

I turned 48 on Thursday, which feels like a really big number relative to other birthdays. It’s not quite a milestone like 50, but it’s close enough to see a half century on this planet clearly in the distance. (Assuming the planet lasts that long, of course.) 

When you reach a certain age – like your late 40s – birthdays tend to be exercises in nostalgia. You look back as much as you look forward. At least I am at the moment.  

Maybe that’s because I’m finally content with who I am as a runner. I’m growing and evolving, rather than trying to hold on to what I once had. From this perspective, the future holds endless possibilities instead of inevitable disappointment. (Talking specifically about running here, guys.) 

If I could go back and talk to my younger running self, I’d tell him to chill out and slow down every once in a while. I’d tell him to be willing to work because fitness doesn’t last nearly as long as he thinks it does. I’d also tell him to have fun because when you get to be my age, you need to make room for all the fun you can get. 

Most of all, I’d tell young me to stop worrying about everyone else. Just be you, because there’s no one else who can.