2nd Mile (Finding Inspiration)

I think inspiration is hard to come by.  When I say that I mean authentic inspiration.  Many times inspiration comes and goes.  I remember the night before state cross country sitting down with the team and watching "Without Limits" the movie about Steve Prefontaine.  The inspiration worked, I felt like going out right then and there and dropping a new PR.  But that inspiration eventually wore off, which is the main reason I always go back to that movie.  Some people look for inspiration in movies, songs, people, YouTube videos, books, etc.  Rarely do these things stick.  We get inspired, we go and run, maybe feel good for a day, a week, a month, but eventually it wears off and running becomes a chore, so we search for inspiration again.  It's a cycle.  There is nothing wrong with it, because it works.

My form of inspiration, as of late, comes from a popular running book titled Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.  The book has become a phenomenon amongst the running community with its new found approaches, and controversial topics relating to evolution, barefoot running, and ultramarthon training.  I read the book, sped through it, and found myself a changed runner.  I immediately ditched my running shoes and invested in some New Balance Minimus', started changing my form, started running for the pure love of it, changed my diet, and I feel so much better about myself as a runner.  I will talk about this book in later posts, but I do recommend it to everyone to find some sort of inspiration.  Running is a lifestyle, one that sticks.  I ran in high school and college, and my running slowly faded after my time as a competitive runner because I lacked inspiration.  I could not find a purpose to running.  My whole running career was devoted to winning, setting records, breaking PR's, impressing others, attaining acknowledgment, but never running truly for myself.  After reading this book it dawned on me that running should not be about winning a medal or award, those things come with time.  Running should be done out of enjoyment.  Sounds kind of hippy-ish, but it's true.  When I hit the roads, trails, sidewalks, etc. I find myself enjoying what I am doing because there are no strings attached, I just love doing what I am doing no matter if I am running at a  6 minute pace or 9 minute pace.  The bottom line is I am doing the running because I have a purpose.  Not to win.  Not to PR.  Not for acknowledgment.  I am running for me.