Some start running early, some start late in life.
Some were couch potatoes, were are already athletes in other sports.
Some run once a week, some every day.
Some run for stress relief, some for competition.
Some run for peace of mind, some for personal records.
Some run for fun, some for results.
Some run for years, some only once.
Some have the time to run, some have other responsibilities.
Every runner has it’s own journey, it’s own reasons, it’s own history, it’s own goals.
It is not surprising that pace, time, effort and outcome vary widely from runner to runner.
You see people running insane times and immediately feel bad about yourself.
But here’s the truth: You’re only seeing the shiny result. Not the countless hours of work they put in. Not the pain they went through. Not the predisposed genetics. Not the experiences they made in the past. Not the setbacks and failures they went through. And yet, you compare your day 5 to their year 10.
But there is also the other side:
You see a runner celebrating his first 5k, crossing the finish line with joy and pride. It might seem like a small achievement for some, but here’s what you don’t see:
Someone’s journey from couch potato to start running. The overcoming of getting started. Perhaps this runner has struggled with obesity or has not done any sport for years.
Someone fighting back from an illness. Running was not possible for a long time.
We always tend to be blinded by the results we see and devalue our own achievements as a result.
Here’s another approach:
Allow external comparison be a source of inspiration or an option for learning. Comparison is not possible.
You are one of one.
Only compare You vs. You
Measure against yourself and what you have achieved.
How good you were yesterday and how good you are today
Strive for continuous improvement, but only if that’s what you want.
You run your own race.
Every runner’s journey is unique.