BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION-Make the right choice

 

Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog.

Now let's get started by talking about how quickly life can derail your plans and the two choices you have when life hands you an unexpected plot twist. But first, let's start with a story that runner Shelly Stout termed "A bittersweet and lengthy race recap: Bronco Buster Last Man Standing;"a story that illustrates just how quickly the plans we make can fall apart.

This was my first time running this format and as of a week before I was feeling strong and ready. Last Friday evening I started to have some pain and tightness in my right shin. Took it easy going into race week. I swallowed my pride and broke my run streak, completely resting it the two days before the race. It felt great yesterday morning. Then another issue arose 2 days ago… My allergies were getting the best of me, my asthma decided to flare up, to the point where I was having to use my inhaler. But I still wouldn’t let it get me down.

The first lap went perfect, I was right on pace and came in with 10 minutes to spare. 2nd loop I started to feel the tightness and achiness come back in my shin, but I thought “you got this girl.” My amazing friend Jill Brockman (who was crewing me) was right there to massage my shin and calf and feed me part of my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 3rd loop the tightness became pain and I started to think “oh crap“. Consistently coming in with about eight minutes to spare it’s amazing what you can accomplish in that amount of time. Melissa Bland, was not only the race director but Rock Tape extraordinaire. Off I went on the fourth loop and that’s when everything fell apart. The pain in my shin became a sharp shooting pain to the point where I almost fell twice because it was hurting so bad. With 2 miles left in the loop I thought “just power through this sister“ and was thankful I still came in under the hour time limit. But I knew right then I had to stop. Just under 17 miles with all my body would give me. I cried a few tears, had a pity party, and then I looked around me. What I saw and felt lifted my spirits immediately. Smiles, words of encouragement, hugs, high fives, my husband there behind me, and an awesome personalized plaque!

Am I disappointed the race didn’t go how I know it could have and should have gone? Of course. But I’m not going to let one “bad“ race discourage me from continuing to give it my all. I really like this format of racing and will give it another go. I have made some amazing friends and progress over the years through running and racing. And so many of them were there yesterday. And so I shall take a (hopefully) short break from running, do some biking, and get some therapy on my shin.

I’ve learned over the years to find the silver lining in all situations, and so here is mine from yesterday: I was the ONLY woman that toed the line. After the first loop I officially became the first overall female finisher and the last woman standing! So there’s that. I really did have “a rootin tootin good time“ despite not having the race that I wanted to have. Because hey, that’s life. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

Alright, so do you just love this or what? I know I do. So much so that I had to get a followup report on Monday morning when I asked permission to share Shelley's story. "Anything you want to add?" I asked her via Messenger. "I won't let an injury get me down. I will use this time to do more cross training and give my body the rest it needs," she replied. What a great attitude right? But guess what? That attitude didn't come naturally. The natural response of a runner who has just had their hopes dashed (and I speak from experience) is to be angry and resentful. After all, no one likes having to drop out of a race and no one likes getting injured. And this is where we get to the good part. Here are the two choices every runner must make when their plans don’t go as planned. And let me give you a hint... by making the right choice over and over you too can cultivate the attitude that says, "hey, that's life" and then makes the best of the situation. 

Choice Number 1. Feel sorry for yourself. This is the sad start of a chain of events that will spiral quickly. Why? Because when you focus on what you didn't achieve, the way that you are feeling, and the fact that this was not fair to you, you will find yourself doing things that will make you even more miserable--things like being too bitter to encourage your friends, too envious to celebrate the success of others, and too into yourself to realize that it's just way life goes sometimes. Life isn't fair and it isn't predictable. But do you know what it is? It's a beautiful thing when you, like Shelley, learn to find the silver lining in all situations. Which brings us to choice number 2.

Choice Number 2. Acknowledge that things happen and vow to find the joy, aka the silver lining, in every situation you might find yourself in. And remember, this attitude is an acquired skill that is worth learning. Why? Because our attitudes are the only thing that we truly have control over. And a positive attitude will allow you to look back without regret. For instance, I, like Shelley, recently injured myself while attempting the PST 100 (Prairie Spirit Trail). I dropped out near mile 50 due to injury and am now in a walking boot. Do you think I have a reason to host a pity party for myself? And to complain about the unfairness of it all? If you said yes, let me ask you something.... what good would that do? Would it change my circumstances? Absolutely not! It would only leave me feeling miserable for the next few weeks. And honestly, who has time for that? So I've chosen to use this time to cross-train and to become stronger; which means I will be able to one day look back at this time and not regret the way I spent it. And you know what else I choose? Joy!! Why? Because joy is what opens our eyes to see those silver linings!!

So there you have it friends, in a world that's unpredictable at best, always choose to see the silver lining in all circumstances. And always, always, always choose joy!! Doing so won't necessarily change your situation but it will change the way you look at it. And that changed perspective will put a smile on your face every time.

Happy Running!!!