Reviving Strides: A Decade Later in the Running Shoes of Life

Ten years ago, I spent a lot of time running. I joined my high school’s cross country team, trained a lot, and ran in various races. For some reason, I decided I hated running. I knew it made me feel good, but if I’m being honest with myself, I largely joined for the social aspect. I had friends that liked to run, so I ran with them.

I remember starting up felt difficult. We’d start the season with three mile runs. My friends had already gotten into shape, so I often got left behind. I still got to spend time with them during stretching, but it bothered me how much I found myself at the back of the pack. Of course, as the weeks passed, things got better. Before I knew it, three miles felt like little more than a warm up. I built the strength to run alongside my friends.

I look back on those times with fondness, especially the out of state races. Something about traveling to California as a sixteen-year-old and staying in a hotel with my friends felt exhilarating. We weren’t adults yet, but for a weekend, we got to pretend. It was more than that though. We got used to running in the desert heat and up in the high mountains. That made California feel like a break. The race there felt easier, like a vacation. Each breath seemed to fill our lungs twice as much as back home. It gave us all a thrill of newfound liberty.

Like I said, that was a decade ago. A lot has happened since then. Somewhere along the road, I decided I didn’t like running and stopped completely. Instead, I started hiking and exploring the outdoors. There have been many times where I’ve tried to get back into running, but it’s always difficult. The best I’ve done was three months of consistency before giving up because I got sick. Still, there’s a small part of me tucked away that reminds me of the joys running can bring.

I’ve recently started the journey of running again, and I’m finding the joy I used to feel. I don’t know what changed, but I’m starting to enjoy it again. It isn’t easy, though, I’ll run a mile or two and it’s even more difficult than it was when I first joined the cross country team. I’m slower than ever, and I have to constantly check my mental attitude. I tell myself that I should be able to run at least a seven minute mile, but that isn’t true. That’s not how running works.

There are lots of areas in life that are like this. We think that just because we have done something before, we should be able to do it again. That’s not always true. Sometimes doing a thing requires consistent effort. The first example that comes to my mind, unsurprisingly, is the ability to write. Even if I take a week off from writing, I notice a difference in my ability to do it well. With that perspective, it’s no wonder I’ve gotten slower in running. I can’t imagine what my writing would look like if I took a decade-long break.

Think about this concept for your own life. What habits have you lost that get rusty over time? What ones have you kept that you know are hard to start up again? I’m sure there are plenty of examples, and sometimes it can be discouraging. I have to remind myself that it isn’t all bad. Yes, getting back into running is difficult, but my previous experience lends me aid. Having done something before gives you the knowledge that you can do it. In my case, it also gives me the knowledge of good running practice. It helps me know when I’m pushing too hard or not enough.

If nothing else, my running past reminds me of one thing: I can accomplish difficult tasks. And that’s valuable.