5 Things I've Learned On The Run This Week

Despite having been a runner for nearly five years now, I somehow I missed the memo that running is all about making personal gains and learning shit that you really should have known a long time ago. (It is also about failure, chafing, and early-ass wakeup calls). Or maybe I just got complacent and forgot that there is so much to learn-- about myself, about others, about the world around me. Somewhere along the way I started believing that success and personal growth in running was measured by conquering new race distances and setting personal bests. And while there is, admittedly, a sense of pride when I manage to not fall flat on my face during a run... it's about more than that. At the risk of sounding oh-so-tacky, running is about becoming a better and more healthy human. For me, running has been about learning to love myself.

So, without further ado... five things I've learned on the run this week:

1. Eat Weird Stuff

And have NO shame in doing it. I am embarrassed to say that until about two weeks ago, I had no idea what the hell a macronutrient was. Turns out that's all I eat. All day long. Or all that matters, anyway. Carbohydrates for fueling activity, protein to repair and build muscles, and fat to balance a whole slew of good body processes. So in my new educated-ness, I decided I should maybe pay attention to how much of these I eat, and try to consume an appropriate balance in my diet. The night before my 16-miler last week, I cooked up some elbow macaroni, tossed in chopped chicken boca burgers, and doused the whole damn thing in barbeque sauce. INSTANT HAPPINESS. And I felt great after that run the next day. So I did it again this week, before my 18-miler. INSTANT HAPPINESS. And I feel great today, they day after that run. I like to think this is because I am eating smart. But I think it's just because I love barbeque sauce and no work. This is my new obsession for a pre-long run meal. So... eat weird stuff.

2. Coast Downhill

I have this water fountain at mile marker 7 on the Lakefront Trail that I love. I love it so, so hard. (Read more about that here). But this week, I had a revelation about this water fountain. Among the many, many reasons to love it-- the cool water, the way it is set just back from the trail in its own alcove, the way it offers sweet respite for sweaty runners, the half-circle cement seating that invites friendly conversation with strangers-- among all those reasons, there was one reason to love it that I have always overlooked. No matter which direction you're coming from, you run downhill to get to it. It's in an itty bitty, tiny, Chicago-sized valley. Which means the elevation change is approximately 10 feet from the normal path. But in running, it's all about the small victories. Just another reason that this water fountain is sacred to me.

3. Keep Learning

After the above two lessons were revealed to me last week, I started to wake the heck up. How have I been missing these tiny tidbits of wisdom along the way? These past few long runs have had an element of spirituality that was long missing from my runs. But I think you can't run 18 miles over four hours and not have some sort of personal, sacred experience. The body is too depleted to rely on yourself, and you start to dig deep for something other than internal motivation. As I ran... and ran... and ran... it occurred to me that I have a whole workbook of lessons to learn about myself. I've been struggling to find the motive to get out and run this year, and I never had that trouble last year. But I also realized that I've been trying desperately to re-create last year's motivations, carry out last year's training schedule, repeat last year's running mantra over and over in my head during the tough miles. And this year isn't last year. I am a different person, with different perspective than a year ago. I'd been feeling guilty that I couldn't seem to "make it work" like last year. Until I realized that I've learned and grown in the past 365 days. I am still learning and growing. And thank goodness for that. Such a simple realization. But such a profound difference it has made.

4. This Is Better Than The Why

This. This running. This pounding muscle pain. This uncomfortable drenching sweat. It is better than the why. Since I allowed myself to abandon last year's running mantra, I've gladly welcomed a new one into my repertoire. "THIS IS BETTER THAN THE WHY." And to understand it, you must read my favorite comic, The Oatmeal. It is odd and unexpected to find such profound inspiration in a comic-- but, in fact, it is perfectly fitting and hilarious and soothing to me. Inspiration is everywhere. Thank you to Matthew Inman for inspiring me, putting words and pictures to my inner self, and conveying why I run.

The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances

(Note: Be sure to click "next" at the bottom of each part, and read all the way through to part 6)

5. I AM THE WARRIOR

Need I say more? Badass happy music makes running any distance possible.