I’m going to start out by saying
that I can easily remember this one night in particular as if it just
happened. On this very night, I ran literally the worst race of my
life (or I felt like I did anyway). It was so horrible and as soon
as I crossed the line I just broke down and cried like a baby because I felt
like such a failure not getting the time my coach had expected of me. The
bus ride home was even worse when he told me my race was a disgrace and my
other coach said it was pretty ugly. I was miserable. But
once I got home, I told myself to move on and just do better next time. And
then I got inspired and wrote a note to try and motivate myself for next time:
Okay,
so to most people track is an insane sport where people run because they are
crazy. But to a runner, track is a lifestyle. It is a constant struggle
to push yourself to achieve more than you ever thought you could handle. There
are times when all you want to do is stop running and crumple to the ground to
catch your breath...but you don't. Your body will beg you to quit,
but you refuse to listen. And the reason you don't is because nobody
wants to go out a quitter. When you finish a race no matter the
distance, and every amount of energy is spent, there is nothing greater than
that feeling when you see your success in the look on your coach’s face.
Now, don't get me wrong, one isn't always going to find themselves in this
position. My coach has instilled in me that actually the only way to
really appreciate your success is to learn from your failures. There have
been many times when I know during a race I just sucked or "punked
out" but track is not always about getting a medal or beating all of your
opponents. Sometimes winning is being able to get back up and try
again. One cannot achieve anything without learning from their
mistakes.
Really
the best word I have to describe track is addicting. There are certainly
times when you will hate it and feel defeated, but for some reason you can
never actually get away from the sport because you love the feeling of success.
And that feeling outweighs any other, so you keep trying until you are
content. But you are never content. After a personal best, you
cannot help but already have bigger goals for your next race. The biggest
motivation to do well is to ALWAYS believe in yourself..because if you don’t
then who will? Tonight I was reminded of something. Being upset after
a race is not going to get you anywhere. It will only make you more
miserable. What every runner needs to do, no matter how they ran, is to
forget the past and keep moving forward.
It's indescribable, the different moods at track meets. Some runners are ready to break state records while other runners are just focusing on finishing their race. While one person may have done very poorly in their race, someone else just a few feet away has a smile from ear to ear and the satisfaction of a medal hanging around their neck. So who will you choose to be? The runner upset with themselves filled with regret? Or the runner who gets out there and runs for themselves, and finishes proud with a pat on the back from their coach. This does not only apply to running, but in all areas of life. You deserve to be successful. You owe it to yourself. So the choice is yours. Maybe you won't have a medal, but track is not about a shiny medal, winning, or even your other competitors. Every race is a race against you. When you stand on the line, you know what lies ahead of you. You know the feel of every second from the BANG of the gun to crossing the finish line..but what you have to tell yourself when you stand there with the other runners?..this IS my race and NOTHING can stop me. No one can control how fast you go or how many people you pass, BUT you.
