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June 4th, 2020

What Has Running Taught You About Resilience?


resilience

  1. an individuals ability to properly adapt to stress and adversity

 

Resilience means you have the strength to handle whatever is thrown at you, whether it be unpredictable or an ongoing challenge.

Resilience encourages hope, it allows you to focus on your end-goal, and settle for nothing less.

Resilience requires persistence, when you are met with challenges, you find a way to adapt and change in a way that makes you stronger as you push forward.

 

In these uncertain times, resilience is essential. In a pandemic with ebbs and flows, when we don’t know what tomorrow holds and we must prepare ourselves for the unknown, for challenges that can seem impossible to overcome. Running, in all its ups and downs, in its challenges of the body and mind, does just this. It builds resilience. It makes us stronger. It allows us to reflect, to redefine, to assess, and to build our own personal resilience with each step.

 

We asked our staff how running has helped them build resilience and stay motivated:

 

“One of the reasons I love being a runner is the simplicity of the sport. If you put one foot in front of the other day and day out you will improve.  This thought has crossed my mind over and over again during this time.  Just keep pushing ahead, everyday work toward something greater and eventually things will improve.  Your body and mind will adapt to the new normal.  It will get better, it’s that simple.”

– Jason

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“Getting comfortable being uncomfortable – both in training, and in life – has shown me so much within myself that I didn’t think I was capable of and has led to countless opportunities that I didn’t even think existed!”

– Emmi

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“Setting a goal, putting in the training, and accomplishing that goal is a direct consequence of being a distance runner. It’s my favorite metaphor that I put into practice whenever setting any goal in life because I trust the process regardless of the hurdles involved in achieving my goal. Running a certain distance gives you a feeling of, “if I can do this, I can do anything I set my mind to”

– Jeff

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“Training and racing in endurance sports have been the perfect preparation for getting through this uncertain time period.  Getting through periods of tough training teaches you to simply focus on one day at a time, just like racing a marathon one mile at a time.  Getting through a challenging period of all of our lives is similar; best done one day at a time.  You don’t start a race and immediately yearn for the finish line; you get there by dicing up each part in front of you, one at a time, and eventually you find yourself at the end.”

– Brendan

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Training to become an endurance athlete after years of being an anaerobic athlete has primarily taught me humility, persistence, and a whole new aspect of mental toughness. Sustained effort over a lengthened period of time forces you to become comfortable with discomfort, which I’ve found to be an incredibly valuable tool that bleeds over into everyday aspects of life.”

– Cuyler

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“Sometimes you have to run 26.2 miles through downpour and wind so heavy that you can’t see 2 feet in front of you, but it just makes the final push at the sight of the finish line that much sweeter. Easy runs in sunny, 60-degree weather are wonderful, but the most memorable accomplishments are those we had to work our asses off for.”

– Morgan

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“It can be easy to give up or break down when things get out of your control or are hard to handle. But having the drive to push through until you get the result you want is directly contributed to my experiences as a runner and athlete. Finding a positive and learning from situations that may not go your way, can come from bombing a race or an argument with a family member- but being able to  strategize and push through the discomfort of the situation is a unique skill I have contributed to my experiences as an endurance athlete.”

– Carly

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“A big part of running is becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable and that constantly tests our patience and adaptability. Whether it’s taking that first step out the door or going an extra mile, I know those small moments become big wins I can call on when the going gets tough.”

– Joe

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“As an endurance athlete —  Similarly to our training; Every day when we get out of bed and start our day, we are going to be faced with new challenges, difficulties, stressors, and imperfect situations. What I’ve learned in the end, is that the ability to keep going through the good and the bad is what causes the most growth and allows us to reach our goals.” 

– Dave

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“To plan ahead. Whether in training, racing or in life, I’ve learned throughout my years as an endurance athlete and coach that it’s always better to be proactive (vs reactive) to ensure that we are most prepared for the difficult challenges or adverse conditions that lie ahead.”

– Michael

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“Deep into marathon miles, my self- motto becomes “settle in and hang on, you’ve worked too hard”. When my environment gets tough, this crazy sport has taught me how to do just that- hang tight and prove your vigor.”

– Samantha

 

 

What has running taught you about resilience and how does it keep you motivated?

 

 

 

 

 

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