Theory Of Evolution
01/27/2012 in Running Posts
In my observation over the years I have noticed that there are two primary catagories of runners. There are veterans who started as far back as middle school and continue to “run like the wind”. Some have grown older or had injuries, but they still manage to drag themselves out of bed at 4 a.m. and start down that “all too familiar” route. If you are one of these people I give you my wholehearted respect. Then there are the rest of us that comprise the majority. We have come from places in our lives we are constantly in the process of trying to purge from our self perceptions. It seems with every step that hits the ground we are leaving a part of us, that we would prefer to forget completely, even farther in the distance. Some of us had terrible habits while others battled their weight much of their lives. Mom is trying
to regain her fitness level after having children and the awkward kid in high school is older now, but found a sport where he can take pride in his efforts. Even some that have succeeded and become indistinguishable from the lifetime runners. No matter if you are the aforementioned veteran or the majority I speak of, there is one glaring similarity that can not go unnoticed. This is character. You have all found the ability to do the things people said you couldn’t do. But more importantly, the knowledge that you broke through barriers that you may have thought were unattainable. The veteran is pushing that extra 10% and feeling like his stomach is going to stage a very embarrassing protest at the finish line. The newbie has finally abandoned the poor choices and decided t
o take personal responsibility for his health and appearance. From winner to last place, this strength becomes incorporated into our very being as we face everyday challenges. There will always be setbacks and obstacles, but the important thing is that we stay focused and take another step forward. It doesn’t matter where you are on that metaphorical road to a healthier life or trying to be the overall winner of the race, we have all built character in times of weakness through running. So I say to you all, keep pushing forward, keep focused and keep evolving.
As you may have noticed, things are a little different around here. In an effort to keep this blog the best it can be, I have moved from my WordPress hosted domain and servers to my own. No need for you to change anything. The address is different but all the traffic is redirected here if you use the old link. The one thing that will absolutely remain the same is the effort I put into my content and my undying appreciation for all 
of you who read my blog. Thank you and now we take you back to your regularly scheduled programming.
My friends, I would like to be serious for a moment and talk about something that I believe to be very important and goes virtually unnoticed by most runners. In my first post you read about my roots in running and where I came from to where I am now. Many of us have our stories and tend to allow our memories of an unhealthy past fade so much that we fail to see the next group of runners that are struggling with some of the same problems. For example, how many of us finish the race and stand on the sidelines of a 5k to cheer for the person you don’t know, that may be overweight but is giving it their best effort to reverse bad habits? You know they finish toward the back of the pack, but they finish nonetheless. I am here to tell you that THESE are the true runners. THESE are the people with real heart. And THESE are the people that deserve our respect, encouragement and help. 99% of all runners are good, supportive people but we neglect to show it sometimes when we high-tail it back to the tent or pavilion after finishing, to talk about how the race went for us. I have been guilty of this behavior myself. Then there are the arrogant 1% that I have heard quietly poking fun at people who are slower, heavier and just starting down a path to a better life.
by being there to show support on the sidelines. Get to know them. Encourage them. You can change their lives if you make them feel included. Don’t let them give up. Before you know it they will be running right along side of you on a path to a better life that YOU helped them build.
