TwoTim47.Com
  • Home
  • Podcast
  • TwoTim47 Blog
  • Speaking Events
    • Eagle Eyrie 2018

Make the Night You Better Than the Morning You

8/10/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
I recently did a podcast interview with my friend Tracey Outlaw. Tracey said something interesting about embracing challenges in running. It's had me thinking about embracing challenges in my life. He said no matter what distance the race is we're running we can be sure challenges are going to come along. And if we plan for how we're going to embrace those challenges, we can have a productive race. 

I found a couple of things interesting about that comment.

​One, he didn't say we should plan for how we'll overcome the challenges, he suggested we should plan for how we'll embrace them. My mindset is often all about overcoming when thinking about the challenges I'll face in a particular run. I spend time preparing myself for adverse weather conditions or resistance that might come with that day's distance. I plan for weary legs and lungs that start fighting for the next breath. I psyche myself up; I tell myself those particular challenges are on their way and I should be prepared to run over them.

When you think of embracing challenges and not running them over, though, that's a much different mindset. As different as giving the next person who approaches you on the street a hug instead of punching him in the gut.  The embracing mindset says I love this opportunity to run in the heat; the overcoming one says I'm not afraid of walking through a little fire.

How we transform ourselves from someone who plans to overcome to someone who plans to embrace is tied to the second thing I found interesting about what Tracey said. It struck me that he didn't say when we embrace the challenges we'll have a victorious run or even a great one - he said we'd have a productive run. 

I think as runners, and many days as a society - whether we're talking about students or workers or parents - we've devalued being productive. We spend so much time focused on finish line pictures, valedictorian speeches and the fancy titles attached to job duties that we've become blind to the incredible things that take place in the daily grind. A grind that rarely leads to high profile accomplishments, but always leads to something better.

A better runner. A better person. 

If I start this day dreaming of being an all world this or a famous that, then the challenges I see coming my way represent something standing in my way. They are enemies frothing at the mouth intent on denying me the fame I deserve. But when I start this day dreaming of ending it a better person, when I treasure the idea that I will have more regard for the night me than I had for the morning me, the challenges coming my way will look like opportunities. They are chances for me to think and work productively to tackle something that's going to make me wiser and stronger.

There are challenges coming your way today. That's the truth. 
Are you smiling at them, arms spread wide ready to embrace them?
Or is your head lowered, your teeth gritting, as you ready youself to bowl them over?
Don't bowl them over. Or punch them in the gut. At least not without hugging them.
Thank them when they leave, for the opportunity they gave you.
To be productive.
To become better.
To make the night you shine brighter than the morning you. 
If even just a little.

You can listen to my interview with Tracey Outlaw here: 
An Interview with Tracey Outlaw - US National 24-hour Running Team - Episode 22

Enter your email address:

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Keith Cartwright

    Life is like running.
    ​If we have friends running alongside us, there's no fight we can't fight, no race we can't finish. 

    Archives

    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017

    Categories

    All
    22 Too Many
    Ashland Harvest Run 10K
    Ashland Run The Rails 5K
    Charlottesville Fall Classic
    Faith And Running
    Flying Pig Marathon
    Half Marathon
    Houston Marathon
    Kiawah Island Marathon
    Land Between The Lakes
    Little Rock Marathon
    Marathon
    Marine Corps Marathon
    Megsmiles
    Mental Strength
    New Song Mission Possible 5k
    Oxbow Ultra
    Patrick Henry Half Marathon
    Richmond Half Marathon
    Run For Respect 5k
    Running
    Running4Soles
    Running Community
    Running For Soles
    Run The Bluegrass
    The Georgia Jewel
    The Hokie Half Marathon
    Ultra Running
    Uncorked Half Marathon
    Virginia Beach Shamrock Marathon

    Special Series:

    Julie Bravo's First Marathon
    Picture

    Countdown to the Georgia Jewel 2018
    Picture

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • Podcast
  • TwoTim47 Blog
  • Speaking Events
    • Eagle Eyrie 2018