You see them in the park on dark, snowy, windy days. They plod along with grim determination. The minutes stretch to hours. Their faces become lost in the blank stare of watching miles of road pass beneath them. They are the runners training for spring marathons.
Marathon training is never a particularly fun activity. There are long miles to be run and sore muscles to be endured. I see the runners in the park and I can just tell who is doing their long run for the week. They are resigned to their pace and the wind in their face. They are calm and stoic, demonstrating a willingness to sacrifice that few know or understand. I know this because I was one of them.
It’s not easy to train for a marathon, but that’s not the point of this article. What I really want to discuss is what marathoners demonstrate – a profound understanding of the value of hard work. Few people can just go out and run 26 miles any time they want. You have to work for it. Anyone involved in sport or fitness can relate to that. To get better, stronger, or faster, you have to earn it.
One of the roads that I occasionally ride when doing hill work on my bike comes to mind. On the steepest pitch, someone has painted motivational phrases to help them keep pushing. One phrase that always catches my eye is, “Train Hard, Work Easy.” This phrase recognizes that the hardest work you do isn’t necessarily during the race, but during the training you put in to get the race.
Spectators don’t always get it. They see the race, game or event and think that’s what being an athlete is all about. I always get a little annoyed during a sports event like the Olympics when the commentators make a big deal about how this or that athlete has sacrificed to get there. Duh. All athletes sacrifice to get where they are, even if it’s someone who is lagging far behind the winners in a local competition. Being an athlete, especially at a highly competitive level, is a lifestyle of sacrifice.
It’s not about the race, it’s about the dedication to work hard in order to improve yourself and your performance. The race is the icing on the cake; it’s the reward for the work. It’s where you get to lay it on the line. But, you can’t even get to that line without doing the work.
Fitness endeavors of any kind presuppose a long-range goal or vision. Training for something like a marathon or the Olympics doesn’t happen overnight. You plan. You train. You assess. You train some more. You keep your sights on your goal even when all you see is gray skies and empty roads. But you don’t give up in the face of short-sighted isolation, you press on knowing that it’s all part of the path to your goal and success.
My financial advisor, who happens to be a runner, keeps telling me the same thing. Stick with your long-term goals. Don’t let occasional rough spots dissuade you. Hold on to your vision with discipline and you’ll reap the rewards. Sound familiar? It’s like running a marathon. Patience and persistence lead to the payoff. Life mimics sport. Or is it the other way around?
Dedication. Discipline. Determination. These are words that characterize fitness enthusiasts. These characteristics will serve you well through life, as well. It’s not about the race; it’s about being willing to put in the effort to get there.