Pace Yourself
In January 2002, I ran the Houston Marathon for the first time. I had just turned 30 years old, and I was excited to run my first official race! I had trained alone during the previous year, and I had no idea what to expect on race day. There were so many mixed emotions of anxiety, nervousness and excitement.
As I was lining up with everyone before the race started, I noticed runners gathering around certain people who were holding signs. The signs had numbers on them, but I had no idea what they meant. I asked the runner next to me who those people were and she said, “that’s a pacer.” Hmm, ok. A pacer. I was not familiar with that.
I hadn’t really thought about how long I expected it to take me to run 26.2 miles, but the sign near me said “4:45”, which meant a finish time of four hours and 45 minutes. The people around me explained that if I stayed with the pacer, I would finish the marathon in that amount of time.
Sounded good to me! I decided I would stay with that pacer and complete the marathon in four hours and 45 minutes.
The race started, and I happily ran alongside the group. I chatted and was able to keep up for the first half of the race. Then suddenly, I felt like I was running too fast. I wasn’t used to talking while running, and it turned out that used energy I wasn’t prepared to give. I got in my head and thought there was no way I could continue at that pace.
I slowed down and watched the group get further and further ahead of me. I told myself I just needed a minute to recover, and I would catch up. But I never did.
I walked a lot of that second half and finished in five hours and 30 minutes. I was devastated. Why? Because I had set my sights on a goal and then didn’t achieve it.
But I had set myself up to fail, because I was not prepared for what I was trying to achieve.
Little did I know at the time, but that race started me on the path to a now 23-year journey of all kinds of running and running races. It’s my passion!
And I’m now one of those pacers for half marathons, and it’s one of the most fulfilling roles I’ve ever had!
Lessons Learned
Looking back, the first mistake I made on that race day was that I showed up without a developed plan. Yes, I had run the training miles, but there was never a time goal associated with my training.
Why did I think I could show up on race day and do something different from what I had prepared for?
The second mistake I made was thinking that following a pacer was going to help me overcome my physical limitations. I wanted to follow the crowd, and I thought my excitement would carry me to the end.
My third mistake is I let my disappointment convince me that I must not be cut out to be a runner. I hung up my running shoes for almost a year! (Later, I realized I did actually love running, but I didn’t particularly enjoy the full marathon distance.)
I learned my lessons and I shifted gears. I decided that I was going to train properly for half marathon races going forward. They kept me challenged, but they didn’t make me feel defeated.
I wasn’t prepared for my first marathon with a successful plan. And because of that, I almost let the feeling of defeat decide that I shouldn’t run anymore. The truth is it was always in me to love running. I just needed a plan that made sense for me to feel successful.
When you are goal setting, the best option is always to make a plan of baby steps that help you achieve the goal you have your mind on. When the goal is attainable, it’s easy to break down the steps into manageable bites so that the goal is achieved in the end.
Challenge Yourself, but Respect your Limits
As I’m getting older, I’m realizing it’s easier to make excuses for not pushing myself. I’m tired, my joints ache more, I need more rest and recovery, older bodies can’t go faster, etc.
These mental ceilings we put on our growth and development can absolutely prevent us from reaching our potential.
I told myself for over 15 years that I was a slow runner and could only run an 11-minute mile at the fastest. And you know what? That’s exactly how fast I ran. I put a ceiling on my growth.
I had to rewrite the story in my head that I could actually train to go faster. So that’s what I did!
I trained for a solid year to get faster, and at 51 years old, I ran my fastest half marathon time – just under two hours! I pushed myself to my limit without injury. It felt amazing!
But was that it? At that point, I had a decision to make. What’s next? Do I train to get even faster?
I really had to do some soul searching on that one.
Goals Don’t have to Get Bigger to be Meaningful
I hear a lot of people trying to set goals for themselves, and a lot of them are grand and extreme. It’s like we think if we’re not trying to do something “big” then it’s not worth our time or energy.
Or after we’ve achieved a certain goal, the next logical step seems to be to do the next thing bigger, better or faster. Well, we can only keep up that pace for so long before we risk injury, burn out, or a blow to our self-esteem because we simply can’t keep outdoing ourselves.
A better way to view the next steps for our mental wellness is perhaps to think of a lateral goal. By that I mean that it may not be as physically or mentally challenging as a previous goal, but it uses something you learned or enjoyed from the previous goal to build on.
When I thought about trying to get faster, I decided it was not worth it for me. I decided it was much more meaningful to switch gears and give back to the running community as a pacer. I have been in awe of them for over 20 years, and now I am one!
I absolutely love pacing. It allows me to be encouraging, it keeps me active, I get to meet new people, and it gives me purpose. I have already paced almost 10 half marathons in less than a year, and I have no plans of stopping anytime soon.
And just like most things in life, it’s better when it’s steady and consistent, rather than extreme and chaotic. There is a natural rhythm in life, and when we find it, that’s where we find peace and contentment.
Steady as She Goes
So how can you be successful in your own journey to goal achievement and life fulfillment? Here are some tips:
Invest in yourself. Spend the time soul searching to understand what a meaningful goal might be for the stage of life that you’re in.
Pace yourself. Steady, consistent baby steps that aren’t too extreme are the best way to be successful for the long term. Don’t try to rush to the finish line.
Push yourself. It’s good to be challenged to see what you’re made of, as long as the challenge is bringing you confidence rather than defeat.
Enjoy yourself. The joy is in the journey! Take your time, learn more about yourself, and let it all soak in and change you for the better.
Be gentle with yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others. We are all on our own unique path.
The main thing to remember is we never know what lies ahead. Our paths may have many twists and turns. But when we look back, we can see that the choices were connected.
A lot of times one goal is the steppingstone to the next goal. Our excitement and confidence grow, and we keep going and growing!
Never be afraid to try something new. It may just lead to your most fulfilling life.
If you would like more information about working with me as an empowerment and mindset coach, you may contact me at pam@intentionalbutterflycoaching.com. I would love to talk to you! And if you’re in Sugar Land, TX, the conversation has the option to be in person.