Training for the Other Half

I started running again this month as I had failed to keep up my running routine after finishing graduate school a few months ago. With the recent months being especially rough on my mental health, I think this is one of the first steps I can take to truly start caring for myself again. When I ran the half marathon in Spring 2022 I wanted to prove that I could push myself past my physical limits. Now, as I start training for the other half of that marathon, I aim to not only push myself physically, but also strengthen myself mentally. 

Since there is a lot that goes into training to run long distances, it occurred to me that I am not just committing to spending a few hours a week running, but I am also committing to spending more time cooking homemade meals that will help my body have the ability to become more active, to get more routine and quality sleep, to reduce my alcohol consumption, and to act as my own motivation to keep going even when training is tough. 

Running has always been proof to me of the power of putting your mind over matter. In the months previous, pushing myself to reach a personal best each time I ran was something I became thrilled over. The pain in my muscles and the burning in my lungs turned into an overflow of adrenaline as I shifted physical feelings to emotional ones. My mind took over for my body in a way that is virtually impossible to accurately describe. 

For the next few months, I will put my heart and soul into running because it is something that I believe I can hold close to my heart, as the constant achievements it brings give me joy. A feeling that can sometimes seem impossible to reach for and grasp out of the pain and stress that life tends to throw into the air we breathe. 

I have had a number of conversations with friends about the benefits they see in playing video games. In logging into a virtual reality that allows them to escape from the real world and essentially be whomever they want to be. Though I don’t play video games and don’t really see myself ever finding that same level of enjoyment in them, I do see running as my video game replacement. Running is my escape from reality and allows me to spend an hour or two straightening out my winding thoughts into a collection that is more manageable. An organization of thoughts that isn’t as crippling when the anxiety starts to fill my lungs. 

Whatever you do, whether that be playing video games or experimenting with your own physical limits, I think that we all should find that escape that we can turn into a constant in our fast-paced lives.