The Ever Changing Goals of Running

When I was in high school and college, even for several years after college, my running goals revolved around getting faster and top finishes of races. Even though I enjoyed running for its mental, spiritual and physical aspects, racing and racing well is what motivated me. Over time the motivation has changed, and changed several times.

As I entered my 30's, it took me awhile to accept the fact that there would be no more PRs and fewer top finishes. Once I accepted that my lifetime PRs had been set I focused on age group finishes, looking to podium finishes in the age group categories. Yet during this time other life responsibilities began taking more importance and time; kids, job, marriage, community involvement.  I found myself training less hard, achieving my age group goals less frequent. But running remained an outlet to recharge my soul and spirit.

Entering my 40's my running goal changed again. I realized the level of training I was doing would allow me to compete for a top age group finish in only small races. I turned my focus on improving annual and decade PRs. Trying to run faster in June than in March, or faster at 46 than I was at 43. This goal lasted through my 40s and into my early 50's when a new decade started a new set of PR opportunities.

However, midway through my 50's something caught up to me, injuries. For most of my running career I'd had only minor injuries that a few days or a couple weeks off would heal. Not this time. After running through some pain that I should have known better, but was training for a half marathon to run with my daughter, I tore a tendon in my right foot due to a change in my gait from pain in my left hip/glute.  Surgery was required to fix the tear.

The goal became to heal and strengthen the weaknesses in my hip so I could run again. It turned into a journey that had me questioning whether I should retire from running all together. It took several years to reduce the pain in my hips while running. Pain that caused me concern that my body was telling my it had put in enough miles. Weekly sessions with a personal trainer saw steps forward only to encounter nagging injury, step forward another nagging injury.

As I approached the year of my 60th birthday, I was finally feeling as though running was still a part of my future. My hip was stronger, I was working on my flexibility and running was becoming more enjoyable. It was time to re-adjust my running goal.

I recall a meet I was at in college. I watched an older runner running the steeplechase as the meet was also an all-comers meet. I remember admiring that he was still running and obviously trying a new race. So the goal for my 60th year is a year to celebrate 60/45, sixty years on this planet, forty-five years of running on it.

Every run is a good run. Some are gooder or goodest depending on how my body is feeling. It's a celebration that my body is still doing what it loves to do, though going slower and not as far. A celebration of longevity, pride in still being able to participate in the sport that has brought me joy, challenges, rewards. A celebration that though my body has changed over time, my mind is still excited about the challenges ahead. It's no longer about PR's or placing. It's about feeling the wind in my hair, the sweat on my face, thoughts of past races, the peace that comes with setting aside the ego and enjoying my body in movement.