THIS Is The Most Important Part Of The Run
... and it has absolutely nothing to do with the run itself.
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Presented by LMNT:
I’ve been doing a fair share of reflecting lately. Not about any one specific event or memory, but about a string of similar moments that I’ve experienced for years now. The moments that occur right before a run.
If you ask me, they’re actually the most important part.
They’re slightly anxious, a little excited, and often hesitant. Repeated over, and over, and over again, time after time. During those give-or-take 30 seconds where you’re debating initiating the actual effort, oftentimes you encounter some sort of minuscule annoyance, like the fact that your watch isn’t picking up a GPS signal or perhaps a wonky, unsettled feeling in your right knee combined with an unforgiving bug bite on your left shin.
You’ve already done a fair share of work to get to these special moments, of course. You’ve made the conscious effort to change into some sort of activity-specific outfit, which may or may not have involved a shimmy into snug compression shorts or a too-old tank top that you’ve made the mental note of replacing the last three times you’ve put it on. You’ve deliberately laced your sneakers with a double knot, in hopes to prevent the inevitable uttering of “are you KIDDING me?” accompanied by an overdramatic frustrated exhale the moment they come untied on every single run. Of course, let’s not forget the big, big fact that you’ve acknowledged that you want to go for this run in the first place.
That’s a big deal, too.
Making the decision to go for a run can be really intimidating. For a lot of reasons. Perhaps you have unfortunate history with running. Maybe the weather conditions are rough. Emotional baggage, an achy back, too much on your plate — you name it. Excuses, those are easy.
For me, after years of being excellent at being “bad” at running, there was a long time I didn’t dare attempt is at all. A long time I didn’t grab hold of the opportunity to experience these very important pre-moments. After not making the junior varsity volleyball team back in high school because I couldn’t muster out a sub-10:00 mile, I completely gave up on the activity. I was good at making excuses. About five years later, I decided to do something about it. I began clicking away, slowly tackling a little bit each day. Mileage totals the summer that running finally stuck again — back in 2008 — were a drop in the bucket compared to what I’m aggregating these days. But, the moments before the run?
They felt the same.
The moments before the run were the most important part of it all then.
They are now, too.
Here’s why:
During that pre-run half-minute, you still have the opportunity to bail. You still have an out. While I recognize that this “out” is available to any runner of any level at any given moment, once the run starts, I’d argue you’re more likely to stick with it than if you never started it at all.
In these moments, you make the valuable, conscious decision to do something for you. To believe in your own potential. You accept whatever comes with the miles and minutes that follow. It’s a bold act, to open yourself up to the beauty that can come hand-in-hand with wanting to take this time for yourself. You may very well be a different person when the run is done, due in part potentially to whatever you might physically encounter during that time, but perhaps more importantly because of what you could gain emotionally and mentally.
The run is brave. The run, it opens you up to a new version of yourself. A version that may be:
More calm.
More grateful.
More resilient.
More ready to handle the day as it comes.
Like Nike’s Coach Bennett said (#TBT) in episode 120 of Hurdle, running is about what you gain. And if you pay close attention, the gains can start before the run does, albeit technically. In these moments before the run, you confront the desire for your own cup to be filled. You accept the chance to gain some control, believe in yourself, and embrace a fresh perspective.
So, do me this favor: The next time you’re in them — the moments before the run, or [insert other challenging activity here] — I want you to be proud that you made it there. Even if it’s hot and humid and you’re standing reluctantly questioning the next step — the first step — I want you to take a second to appreciate the opportunity to make that decision at all. To say to yourself, “Today, I’m just going to go for it.”
PROMPT: What was the last time you had to psych yourself up to do something? How did it feel once that big to-do was done?
Keep hurdling,
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
I’m Loving: Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
Wore this sneaker a few times this week, and I really dig the snappy energy return (in other words, bounciness). While these are excluded from the “PUMAFNF” promo, the rest of the site is 40 percent off, AKA a great excuse to grab some other new gear while you’re in spend mode.
I’m Listening To: Mentor Buffet by Alexi Pappas
Alexi Pappas, an Olympian and Hurdler, recently launched her own podcast called Mentor Buffet. The premise: Who inspires some of the folks that inspire all of us? Two episodes are currently live (See: Rainn Wilson and Zach Braff), and I’m interested to follow along to see where this one goes.
Prompt I’m Loving: What is a taste that reminds you of a happy memory? Describe it.
Quote I’m Loving: “All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney
NEW ON THE SHOW 🎧
NEW PODCAST EPISODE 🎧: 318. Owning Your Voice: Nike's Chief Impact Officer Vanessa Garcia-Brito On Training For Work Like An Athlete & Empowering The Next Generation
This entire conversation could be a life coach session. I sat down with Vanessa Garcia, Chief Impact Officer at Nike, at the Paralympic Games, and I feel truly honored to share her immense amount of knowledge and advice with the Hurdle community.
Vanessa started out as a human rights lawyer before pivoting to Nike and we talk about her non-traditional career path while keeping her mission of advocating for women and girls at the center of her journey. She sheds light on how her upbringing helps to inform how she makes decisions, where she gets her confidence from, and gets real about navigating the nerves that come with the nature of her role at Nike and what she does to "train for her job like an athlete."
Thanks to LMNT — an electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don't — for supporting Hurdle.
Gotta give some love to LMNT, zero-sugar hydration to support your active lifestyle. I’m a salty sweater (cute, I know). These electrolytes are my go-to to perform better. I like them not just because they taste great (the watermelon salt is my favorite as of late), but they’re also without artificial ingredients, sugar, and coloring. With LMNT, you can:
☀️ Kickstart your mornings
💪 Fuel workouts and improve recovery
They’ve got a flavor for every taste (my personal go-tos are grapefruit and watermelon). Head to DrinkLMNT.com/Hurdle to get a FREE LMNT sample pack with any purchase. To claim this deal you must go to DrinkLMNT.com/Hurdle — no code necessary. While you’re there, check out new LMNT sparkling, my favorite flavor is hands-down the grapefruit!
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Another (weekly) Hurdle conquered. Catch you guys next week.