Erin Go Run

For most people, it feels good to get a little ego boost every once in a while. For the slightly cocky, we call it motivation. The trick is, to take what you are good at, and show it off. Not only will you feel better about yourself, but you can even begin telling yourself that you are motivating others to push themselves to your level. Everyone benefits.

I know not everyone runs every day with the same goals as I do (to run a 3 hour marathon), but they don’t know why I am running and I sure don’t know why they are. Maybe it’s a weight goal or a fitness test to see how they compare to their college days. Hey, someone else in the world might actually be trying to reach that 3 hour goal. The point is you can feed off of people that are out there doing what you do, just as they probably feed off of you.

I was running today again at lunch; not my standard squeeze-in-as-much-distance-before-the-boss-notices-i-took-more-than-an-hour-lunch run. My knee has been nagging me at the beginning of my runs; “the most critical part” some say. Dreading the risk of going too far and injuring myself, I wanted to take it easy. But after seeing some inspiring words from my high school mentor, I had to at least go out there and do something. Plus, what would everyone at work think if I skipped my run!?

As I began running, I came up behind a runner who saw me and probably got nervous of my speed and great running form (luckily no one can “see” an injury until it stops you from running). I started to pass him around a corner. I was on the outside, so we ran side by side for a couple of strides. I turned and gave the usual running wave that puts the running community in as much exclusivity as Hell’s Angels and other bikers. He panted, “I am going to try and keep up with you.” I took that as maybe he was gonna try and carry on a conversation and somehow that made me slow down, to which he replied, “No, you don’t have to slow down.”

Weellll alllright, if you say so.

So I admit; I ran a little harder than usual. How could I not if someone was going to try and pace off of me. Plus, this is the start of the ego boost. I didn’t have any music with me so I could hear his heavy breathing struggling to keep up with mine. It got a bit fainter as I continued down the business park road. Other 9 to 5ers walking around on their lunch were looking over; whether it was amazement that I was winning or just that people were running when it was about to rain I will never know. I thought I might have been getting too cocky and tired myself out because I suddenly heard his breathing heavier and heavier with every step that I began to hear as well. Then finally, just one or two strides behind me, he shouted, “Thanks for the push! Have a good run,” and he stopped running.

When I looked back, I put my hand up as I did originally and suddenly my ego was up and I was glad I decided to run. I started thinking about how fast I suddenly felt and must have looked to cars sitting at each of the intersections I had to cross. I thought of that guy and how he just got in a little bit of a workout when he probably wasn’t planning it. (OK, I also hoped that he was impressed with my speed). Now that’s what I call an ego boost! No, wait; I call it motivation…