Sometimes You Must Fail to Succeed!

This past weekend I made some new PRs(Personal Records) at the Critz Tybee Run Fest. I finished the 5K in 21:36 Friday night and completed the half marathon in 2:04:54. I was 4 minutes and 54 seconds slower on the half than I wanted to be. I still PR'd, but I still gave myself hell over it. I was really disappointed in my performance because I had done better on my training runs. I know I started out to fast and got burned out by mile 8. I stayed at the home the rest of the day after the run moping around and just laying in bed beating myself up mentally over my performance. As I was laying around I decided to read some articles on RunnersWorld and some other running sites to try and boost my moral. I stumbled upon an article that read "Fail, and Fail again" Dean Karnazes was in this article and some other Ultra Runners as well. It was basically saying that you must fail sometimes to succeed and when you think you're going to succeed you fail again. Only from our failures can we learn and build a stronger foundation. I strongly believe this and it shows if you have ever repeatedly failed at getting that new personal record or going after a certain distance and just can never get it and feel good about it. I learned that not getting that perfect time every time can actually be a good thing, crazy as it sounds it honestly makes you push harder, train harder and be mentally aware of the game. Since this past weekend I have trained my butt off and continued with my training like I regularly would. I am triumphant in my runs and that's a mind set you must have. For the beginner runner this is what makes you, YOU. From the failures to triumphs you will get stronger, faster, smarter and leaner, But when you think you're on top, watch out, This is when failure hits. Be ready for it and welcome the defeats and failures you will get along the way and on your own personal journey to becoming a runner or whatever you are trying to do. Don't let it bring you down and if it does, Get back up and make that your reason to go harder next time.

Some quotes from the article by Dean Karnazes:
 “Most people never get there. They're afraid or unwilling to demand enough of themselves and take the easy road, the path of least resistance. But struggling and suffering, as I now saw it, were the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not constantly demanding more from yourself--expanding and learning as you go--your choosing a numb existence. Your denying yourself an extraordinary trip.”

“I run because if I didn’t, I’d be sluggish and glum and spend too much time on the couch. I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary. I run…to savor the trip along the way. Life becomes a little more vibrant, a little more intense. I like that.”