Running has been an avocation of mine since I was very young.  I remember my dad running in marathons, 10Ks, and other distance races when I was a little boy.  As I got older, he would put me on my bike and take me with him on his Saturday morning 10 mile runs.  Later, he would take me to the track with him and “force” me to get in a mile or so, with me complaining about something the whole way.  Eventually, my high school and college years would find us running 10Ks together and Thanksgiving Turkey Trots,  a tradition I strive to continue.  I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to run with my dad until he was in his early 60s.  We don’t run much together anymore, my dad and I — much to my disappointment!

Looking back upon those years, I am beginning to realize that the greatest life lessons and associated life skills my father taught me were through running.  Here are five life skills I have gained from the gift of running:

1. Running teaches us grit – Grit is an essential ingredient for success in life.  Just ask John Wayne.  Seriously though, grit is the “mental toughness” we possess that allows us to push through the hard times.  Running on the days when I am tired, or pushing through a side stitch when I was young has taught me grit – as my father would always tell me: “don’t quit, push through it.”  Succeeding in any endeavor requires us to have “grit” – we must possess the mental toughness to push on when the going gets tough.
2. Running teaches us how to set and accomplish goals – Training for a race, whether it be a 10K or a 100K, require us to not only set the goal itself, but to also map out how to accomplish the goal.  We learn that we can’t start from zero, not do the work, and then be successful.  As in all of life, we have to be systematic, strategic, and set small goals that we know will lead to the eventual completion of the larger goal.
3. Running teaches us how to remain flexible – No matter the length of a race, all runners mentally prepare for the distance and strategize how they plan on completing the challenge.  Before a race, you strategize how fast you want to run, how many layers you plan on wearing, and what you plan on eating and drinking.  Very quickly though, you realize that this is just a plan – weather forecasts are never 100% accurate, you may forget your favorite electrolyte drink, the race may be very full and you just can’t get into your ideal stride.  We may have the perfect plan, but plans always change.  Being flexible when the plan changes helps ensure success.
4. Running teaches us empathy – Running is a humbling sport.  One person’s personal record is a training run for another.  After an IT band flareup on a 50K race, I had to stop and stretch for a minute or two.  Another runner, one of the leaders at that point in the race, passed me on his double back and stopped to check on me.  His PR could wait to ensure I was ok.  Later in the race, I had the opportunity to exercise generosity to another runner who was struggling to make the last six miles.  We walked together for a moment, laughed at our predicament, and then committed to finishing the last few miles as a team.
5. Running teaches us how to work with restraints and constraints – No matter the length of the race you are always battling the constraints of time and restraints of your own abilities.  Understanding that time and personal abilities are solid boundaries is necessary for successful training.  Learning and adapting to work successfully within your constraints and restraints is the recipe for success both in a race as well as in life.

I’d like to thank my dad, for giving me the gift of running.  In doing so, he taught me life skills I continue to draw upon daily.  Our avocations are often like a mentor to us; running has certainly been that to me.  What avocations have taught you your greatest life lessons?