I recently read a quote by current New Zealand 1500 meter record holder and Olympic Silver Medalist Nick Willis that stated, “How different would your approach to training/racing be if you knew you could still be at your best in your 30’s?” He hash-tagged the quote with #patience, since I guess that’s what you do in today’s world to emphasize something… you hash-tag it.
I know lots and lots (and lots) of runners. Runners are strong. Runners are driven. Runners are mentally tough. Runners are persistent. Runners are dedicated. But there’s one thing most runners ain’t and that’s patient. #notachance.
Willis set his first national record back in 2005, as a 22-year old. 11 years later, at age 33 (which is an eternity in middle distance running) he was still among the top 10 in the world. He attributes that longevity to patience in his training, in his racing and in his recovery. I think we can skip the hashtag here.
Competitive running needs some risk taking for you to be successful. You often hear about runners who ‘push the envelope’ or ‘red line’. They know that one step over that line can mean the difference between a six week layoff and a huge personal best. But risk-taking doesn’t always mean running hard every day or maximizing your weekly mileage every week. Patience can also be a big risk.
As I have gotten ‘less young’, I have realized that the key for me to remain a participant is to remain injury-free. That also means I can’t do what I used to do. My risks must be different. #oncearunner
In 2021, I missed nearly six months of training due to major knee surgery. The road back to health was long and required a huge amount of patience. The risk was that as I was getting less young and I might not arrive back as a runner. But the risk of rushing back into training might lead to an even longer lay-off or worse. #dilemma (you thought I was completely done with hashtags?).
Since 2021, I’ve slowly clawed my way back to regular running, although every day brings a different challenge. I have been patient in my approach to training, racing and recovery, and have remained mentally competitive with myself. I cannot train the way I used to train, but I can assure you that, for the most part, I still have the mindset of a competitive runner, even if there are no Willis-esque results to show.
Being patient means looking at the bigger picture. It means taking that occasional day off when your body (or your mind) is out-of-sync. It means changing the stimulus in your training system from time to time, knowing that you may arrive at race day slightly under-trained (which, by the way, beats the heck out of over-trained). In the vernacular of my generation, it means ‘ya got to give something to get something’. #thanksgeezers.
Nick Willis looked at the big picture and realized that he didn’t want to flame out at an early age. To remain in the mix of Olympic and national glory for multiple years, he probably had to give up a few races, a few miles and even a few luxuries today, in hopes of achieving more of them tomorrow. Therein lies the risk.
As you plan your training and racing goals for years to come, be sure to take a close look at patience in your planning. I hope to see you on the roads, tracks and trails for a long time. #patience #success #risks and #rewards #enough #hashtags #havefunorgohome
