“Slow Is Another Word For Endurance.”
~Human Potential Running

Recently, I was able to attend the documentary, Run Free: The True Story of Caballo Blanco. If you have read, “Born To Run,” you know who Caballo Blanco was. It was a great and inspiring documentary, and I highly recommend it.

Before the movie started, one of the hosts of the documentary, from Human Potential Running, was giving away an entry into one of their ultra marathons- most were 100 miles. There was a rising of groans from the crowd but he said something I’ve been thinking about since.

“Slow is another word for endurance.”

It made me think about how many times perspective is the smallest thing that can make a difference but often the hardest thing to shift.

How many runners don’t want to be “slow?” I know many people who want to try a 5K race, but are afraid they will be too “slow.” Yet, with just a few words: that entire mind set can shift.  But we don’t hear too many runners say they are happy they can endure.

I’ve noticed since, how many times people put a negative spin on something that really could be a positive.

We’ve all heard the “glass is half full or empty” analogy.  There is something to that though- no matter what your goals are, or what you are trying to achieve. Like most people, I have thought things like “that isn’t good enough,” or “I’m never going to get faster.”

This quote though has gotten me to think, what if, I shifted my perspective slightly, on these things- how would I see and perceive the situation differently?

So I decided to try it. Not just with running but with life situations too.

My older son, Ryan, was really sick last week.  Having a sick kid is hard. I don’t like to see my kids sick, they are miserable, and it changes the routine of the day for work and school.  During the few days he was sick, I consciously worked on thinking things like “I’m so fortunate to have a flexible job, where I can work from home when my kids are sick,” rather than something like, “I’m getting so far behind at work.” I also thought, “I’m grateful we have a nice home where Ryan can rest and get to feeling better,” rather than, “Another sick kid?”

I can’t say that this made him get better any faster, but I did notice I wasn’t as stressed or worried about things as I normally would have been.

Because of this illness, and the time change with it getting darker earlier, I didn’t get to run as much as I would have liked last week. But rather focus on what I couldn’t do; I focused on what I could do.  That was still better than doing nothing.

It is a matter of being aware of your thinking and making sure what you are thinking, is positive, rather than negative.  I think we all know this on a basic level, but actually doing it consistently- that isn’t always easy to do.  In fact, it can be very difficult at times.  I do believe your thoughts pave the way for your experiences.  If you are thinking positive thoughts- that is going to be your reality. Obviously the same applies for negative thinking. This carries over into running and exercise goals.

I have personally been working on this though for a while.  I am happy to say, I’ve completely changed the way I think most of the time.  I can see where it’s helped me with running and other goals I’ve wanted to achieve.  The way I did this for me, is pretty basic.

I’ll share more of how I shifted my perspectives in my next post.  But until then, here’s a little hint: notice this next week where your mind goes automatically when less than ideal circumstances come up.  What are the first thoughts that come to mind, and how do they make you feel? Good or bad? Happy or sad?

It’s interesting to become aware of how our thoughts are making us feel.  The only thing we ever have full control over, is our mind and we always have the power to think something different, in order to change how we are feeling.

That is how perspective shifts.  Then you realize, you aren’t thinking you are “slow,” and feeling bad, but instead you feel amazing and happy, because you have endurance.