The Value of Comments
I value the opinions of other runners. Generally you have experienced the same ups and downs – but your take on the situation is different.
There is great wisdom in comments.
This comment especially touched a nerve.
“Racing can be a lot of things, and it’s easy to forget why we race to begin with. Racing should never be about winning, or about time. Racing should always be about seeing how hard you can push yourself on any given race day. Sometimes the ‘best’ race people run is also their worst finish time for that distance. And if you tell people your time, they will usually utter an apology. And you usually accept it, because…how do you explain that you fought every step this race, that your mind told you to quit with loudspeakers and drums and your body told you to give up with aches and pains previously unimagined; but that you continued…you fought on…and that you are proud of that time because you refused to let your fear triumph. Most people don’t understand that, finish times are easier to understand.”Thank-you Big - > your awareness is remarkable.
8 comments:
Very well put.
Wow, that's explains exactly how I feel about my Portland Marathon experience last year. Good find.
I had a horrible time, but I fought for every single step I took to finish. Nobody could understand what I went through in that race but me. Yet all anybody wanted to know or could understand was my finish time. To me the time had absolutly no consequence in my life, yet it is the only thing others cared about.
You know, what I dealt with running that race is remains inside of me. I'm glad that I can't do it justice by explaining it to anyone else. It's what makes my running mine. Nobody can intrude on that.
What Jesse said.
That's deep.
Totally agree with that comment. It seems like a battle a lot of the time- not just racing! Next weekend will be my first "test" for my marathon PR goal. Need luck, healthy body and lots of SLEEP.
That is SO important to remember. I keep forgetting. The more I train the more I forget and the more I begin to compare myself to myself and to others.
But yes, after my last race what made me giddy was feeling spent...not my time.
Thanks.
As always Kara, thank you for a great post.
By the way, I like the new header to your blog!
ohhh that's a good one!
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