Lilac Lessons

Bill and I completed the Lilac 10k today.  Such a wonderful day and full of some really important lessons.

We crossed the Start line and Finish line together – a great experience.

Leading up to this run, I was in a not so helpful frame of mind.  I broke the #1 rule about attitude – by letting another’s opinion have weight and importance.  I was pretty sure that the goal I had set for this run wouldn’t be met because of that.  My goal was to finish the course faster than when I did it two years ago.  When we crossed the start, Bill encouraged me to go ahead of him and each of us run our own race.  He has been doing his own training, and I have been interested in it, so stuck with him.  What a delightful experience.  Best of all – we crossed both lines together!

I did finish the course faster – by a nice margin over 2 years ago.  In fact, I was just short of a 10k PR.  Now, I freely admit that I am not fast by most standards – but that is not why I run.  I do what I do because it is important to me.  The physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits – and the joy of just doing it – that is why I run.  I run for me.

Lilac Lessons:

-My PR is just that – mine.  My 13 or 14 minute pace is as important to me as a 7 or 8 minute (or less) pace is to someone else.  It doesn’t make me less because it is longer.  So hell yeah – 13:36 is something to celebrate!  Because I’m not you – nor would I want to be.

-#1 rule about attitude – own my own attitude – opinions are only as powerful as you let them be.  Don’t rely on others to do your thinking for you.

-Be willing to try new methods.  Let go of expectations, let joy lead, and embrace different.

-The Hill – acknowledge that what may not seem like much of an obstacle to you may be a mountain to someone else.  Be respectful of fears and concerns – you never know what your “hill” will be, or when you will meet it.

-Joy is in the journey is always there – you just need to recognize it, welcome it back, and celebrate it wildly.

#neverquit, #mypace