Friday Ramble 12/10/21

This week: Learning from failure, a resistance band primer, and giving the gift of Running, Probably. 

I was about halfway through a 5K time trial when I called it quits. I could tell by my splits that my goal pace was getting further out of reach, and I simply couldn’t find the gear to maintain the pace I needed to sustain. 

It’s not like I didn’t make an honest effort. When things weren’t going well, I reached inside and tried to summon whatever combination of power, speed, and intestinal fortitude I had at my disposal. What I found instead was weakening legs and a disturbing lack of will. 

Truth be told, I knew right from the start this wasn’t going to be my day. I struggled getting up minor hills and had to work really hard to find any kind of rhythm. Mentally, I wasn’t where I needed to be either. Instead of being locked in and focused, my thoughts were distracted and scattered. 

Processing all of this physiological feedback while running at what felt like max effort was taxing enough to consider quitting, which surprised me. Like most runners, quitting isn’t generally an option. Yet, through the chaos of conflicting signals and mixed messages my brain was sending, a clear thought finally emerged: You could damage yourself if you continue pushing your limits. 

So I stopped. You don’t get a medal for failure, but you should absolutely give yourself a pat on the back for listening to your body. Even if you wind up with a touch of regret, which I experienced later.  

The reality is that if you challenge yourself on a regular basis, there’s a chance you might fail. Success is only a small part of the equation anyway. It’s what you take from these moments that count.