Trail Race – Bouncing Soles

I work from home full-time, and I have no social outings unless I create them. A few weeks ago, I attended two social events: a running group at Valley Forge and an open mic night. The open mic night stood out with its eclectic mix of people, all competing for a moment in the spotlight. While not everyone seeks this kind of attention, some personalities are naturally drawn to it, craving recognition for their unique traits. The event, held in a quirky, small restaurant reminiscent of the Star Wars Cantina bar scene, was an amusing experience, with diverse music and people from all walks of life.

“Not everything that can be counted counts. Not everything that counts can be counted”

It’s the “atta boy,” or “good job,” and “gold sticker” on our homework that shows someone enjoys our performance. Don’t get me wrong, many don’t seek this out, but at this open mic night, it was like the spotlight was on steroids. It’s addictive, I’m sure, like a kid’s talent show. Many paths, but all brought together with the same purpose to this one location, on this specific night, to share in this interaction.

My question is, where are you getting your spotlight, or do you need it? Some seek it in their work; some never get it. As a manager, I would rather shine the light on others versus myself. As I get older and see my kids grow, watching them race and compete in 5Ks, I realize it’s a phase we might go through, maybe fighting with siblings for it, or as we get older it’s a chance to step into the spotlight if we never had it. Racing does that; as you hit aid stations, age group awards, and different activities, you get that spotlight on you, and it’s a pleasurable ephemeral experience.

“To escape criticism: do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.”

One of the best examples I know of this type of behavior is at the finish line. All eyes are on you as you cross; you can feel that brief moment: “I DID SOMETHING TOUGH AND AMAZING!” Be it only a brief moment, your name gets written in the history books that nobody will read 🙂, but they don’t have to. It can be just for you to know at the end of your journey you did some hard things and had your time in the limelight, be it only a minute. I get to hold that happiness of achievement in my hands in the form of a medal, belt buckle, or sugary loaf of bread, which I received once at Rabid Raccoon.

I think we all need this feeling at some point in our life. Running, lifting, swimming, and sports provide that spotlight on positive action. It’s a percentage of the “reasons I run,” but it’s not all of it… I would say 5-10%. The rest I’ve written about relates to identity, mental health, role models, social interaction, and many others. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, in new places, and with new people. It can have a profound effect on your life.

Spotlights fade for everyone, and then we transition to core values that continue to drive us. We can’t and shouldn’t hog the spotlight forever; others deserve their time on stage too. This is coming from someone with a YouTube channel—I know, I know. I constantly reevaluate what’s important and what I want to achieve, and I’ve settled on three guiding principles: Growth, Compassion, and Kindness. These values are my “North Star” in life; they don’t fade, aren’t tied to physical ability, and should last a lifetime. It feels good to bask in the spotlight, but not for too long. Don’t worry, I’ll keep writing and filming my runs—it’s too much fun and a great way to look back on this wild ride when I need some motivation on a rainy day. Sometimes, if I don’t document them, it feels like these moments never even happened.

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this post, let me know in the comments below.

I have a trick that I use when I’m running and I want the negative self-talk to go away. I focus on one simple thing: the wind. Not listening to the wind, but the feeling of it. Let me explain further. As you pump and swing your arms while running, focus on the tiny, subtle feeling of the air as it flows through your fingertips. Intrusive thoughts will still enter your mind—thoughts like “I can’t maintain this pace,” “This hurts,” “My life sucks,” or “Why did I eat that pepperoni cheese pizza at mile 57?” Allow your thoughts to come, but then intensely redirect your focus back to the sensation of the wind passing through your fingers.

Your mind is so busy trying to focus on such a small detail that it forgets the negative chatter that’s on a loop in your brain. The mind is only good at focusing on one thing at a time. There are times in a race when you have to focus and bring your attention to the task at hand, such as eating on a routine, pushing on climbs, or taking it easy on descents. However, you also encounter long stretches where there’s nothing specific to focus on, and if you have any pain, it’s going to make itself known.

When I’m engaged in what I call the “moving wind meditation”, and no that’s not passing gas from too much Tailwind. I start to forget the negative chatter. It brings back the silence to my mind. The bad, negative thoughts melt away, and I’m back to just thinking about the wind as it passes through my fingers. This isn’t to say the pain is gone; it’s just not at the forefront of my attention anymore. This may seem silly, but the next time you’re on the run and things aren’t going well, focus on the wind flowing around and through your hands. Concentrate on the wind as it passes through your fingers with each stride. It may not work the first or second time, but if you do it long enough, it can have an impact on your mental state when you need it most. Like I said, there are times to focus, and then there are times to let go. It sounds like a simple act but is more powerful than you might think. It stops you from trying to focus on all the things that are going “right” or “wrong” with your race.

Thoughts are temporary, but they need to be acknowledged. Don’t fight them. The more you fight them, the more they want to stay. It’s like if I said, “Whatever you do, don’t think about pink elephants.” The first thing you’ll do is have a pink elephant jump into your mind. You have to embrace what you’re feeling, acknowledge it, or shift your attention elsewhere.

You can’t just do this for a minute or so during your run; try it for a 10- to 15-minute block, focusing on the wind passing over your hands or arms. It can be an effective tool when the negative mental chatter becomes overwhelming in an ultra.

This is adapted from a book by Eckhart Tolle.

Go within. Use the inner body as a starting point for going deeper and taking your attention away from where it’s usually lodged, in the thinking mind.
Eckhart Tolle

Category: Trail Race

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