It’s easy in running, as in any sport, to focus on the competition. Achievements are all about race results. Thoughts revolve around race day. That’s what it’s all about, right?
The truth is, especially if you want to be a runner for the long term, you need to take a more holistic view of running. It’s not just about race day. It’s about all accomplishments. It’s about finding fulfillment in the pursuit. It’s about running being such a positive part of your life that you want it to remain in your life.
Most of all, it’s all about falling in love with the process, the training, the day to day runs.
No matter who you are and what you do, if you are in this sport for long enough, at some point you’re going to get slower. You’re going to start finishing further back in races. If you’re focused only on competitive accomplishments, it’s possible to adjust but it can be a difficult transition.
While that can be a difficult time to manage no matter what you’re focused on, if you give at least some focus to using running as a way to challenge yourself, to try things that stoke your curiosity, or simply to live a more healthy and full life, you’re much more likely to successfully navigate the bumps in the road that will inevitably come.
If running becomes a part of your life, a way for you to unplug and get away from things, a way to connect with nature, then the competition and challenges won’t matter as much. You’ll simply want to be out running just for the act.
If running becomes your way to remain healthy, then performances won’t matter. Connecting with nature may not matter, finding challenges may not be required to draw you in.
If you find all of these things in running, when one motivation wanes another can carry you through to keep you running. If you only have one or two of those motivations, though, you’re more susceptible to your running falling off if and when one of the motivations wanes a bit.