INSPIRATION

Where does inspiration start? I’ve been thinking about that for a while in regards to my running. I don’t depend upon motivation as that comes and goes as quickly as a politician’s promise. And it’s just as fickle. I tend to depend more on habit and try to court that. I pack my lunch the night before work, and I pack my running bag before I got to bed, so when I leave for the office in the a.m. my lunch is ready and so is my running gear. Those little things make it easier to just run, instead of thinking about it.

 

 

But inspiration? Here’s my favorite example: 

On my drive to the office I see a female runner who runs the bike path every morning. I don’t know who she is or even what she looks like other than she looks like a runner. And she is out there every day. She inspires me to do the same. She is unaware of the impact she has on me when she laces up and heads out on the trail. I feel like I let her down if I don’t run that day.

 

My wife also inspires me to run. Not by poking and joking with me, but when she hits the pool every other day to swim her 3000 yards. I cannot imagine what it takes to do that. I tried swimming for a while but I thought I was going to drown each lap I set off from one end of the pool to the other. Her commitment drives me to action.

 

Heck even my dogs inspire me. All you have to do is think “walk”, and they are at the door. Doesn’t matter if it’s raining hard enough to float an ark or it’s cold enough to freeze their paws to the pavement. They don’t care, they are anxious to get started.

 

I read running books and blogs and those also get me thinking about my next runs. When I travel I hit up the app, ALL TRAILS and look at the areas I’ll be visiting to find some off the mainstream trails or parks, so I have something to look forward to at the end of the day.

 

And I am inspired by my friends who are on their own running journeys. Their facebook posts make me smile, and make me want to run along with them. I know we are all running for our own reasons. And that’s okay. We are running alone, together.

 

And finally in a strange sort of way, goals are inspirational, if not aspirational. For two years I have been planning to run the Canyon de Chelly Ultra 50K. It was cancelled last year and because of that I went into a deep funk. But now, it is serving to inspire me to get back at it. I want to respect the distance. Respect the native Navaho people who still inhabit the canyon. And I want to respect the craft of running.

 

So be disciplined in your own running, but be open to the inspirations that are right there in front of you. Chase them down, and use them to be a stronger, better and happier runner. It works for me!