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Running isn’t about speed, but not slowing down
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WHEN my husband walked into the bedroom, I was still half asleep. I had just run a 15k race with nagging shin splints the previous day and thought I could have a restful morning.
He excitedly briefed me on the news of the day: an American teenage runner, who has won state titles and is heading to nationals in New York. She suffers from multiple sclerosis. Her name is Kayla Montgomery. I jumped out of bed and found the story myself, read it again, and marveled at her resolve and resilience.
Runners like Kayla Montgomery inspire me: people who overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and enjoy running for its own sake. She runs to defy her physical challenges. Isn’t this what we all need? Discard all our fear, do the hard work, and just see what happens? I used to be a single mom. Running was my rescue: squeezing time for myself, enjoying the solitude, and getting over my heartbreak. I ran near the ocean, on mountain trails, in races where I competed with others.
But now I run because it sets me free and makes me realize that if I dream enough and work hard, everything is possible. Running is about perseverance and clinging onto the faith that no matter how gruesome the process is, you will make it to the end. One well-established running coach famously said, endurance sport is not about who goes the fastest. It’s all about who doesn’t slow down.
So to train all his runners, he first asks them to slow down and run at a comfortable pace (heart rate around 80 percent max). This approach gradually enhances heart and lung efficiency, and overall fitness level. So you could keep a very steady pace in a marathon. It is a very straightforward method, and it’s proven to work, but I still struggle to adhere to the principle.
Even after so many races, I still make the rookie mistake of starting off too fast and see my energy dip in the third quarter of the distance. It is frustrating to see other runners pass me at a seemingly easy pace, while I lag further behind and end up not making it to the top three or achieve the time I had set for myself. Starting steadily and keeping a stable pace is the way of getting ahead in a long race.
So is the way of life, as I have heard, seen and experienced. Perseverance is success’ best friend. People who are amazingly gifted or have a good start in life, whether it’s through family connection, good education or access, might not finish the race and beat their competition. In the United States, the SAT is no longer a mandatory part of the college admissions process, partly because it is not indicative of a student’s success at his/her university.
The academic trajectory does not so much depend on the ability to crunch on a test. After all, it is easier to crack the code of a standard test than to navigate the system of higher education and reap its benefits.
I have seen many people who always start off with great enthusiasm: a new job, business, or even relationship, but then they quit for lack of faith, simply because it is too much work, or “I don’t feel like doing it any more.”
It’s a great luxury to be able to quit and move on quickly, but life isn’t always forgiving and full of second chances.
The author is a freelancer in Shanghai.
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