Jul
19
Running to Escape – But for How Long?
“I’m still running away” by Flickr user Vincepal, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 license.
In a previous post on finding your purpose in running, I had stated that the purpose must be enduring, not short-term, lest you risk losing your motivation. It can evolve, as Ann Brennan has suggested in her blog, but it must always be there.
The June edition of Runner’s World had an outstanding and moving article on Mark Levine’s use of running as an escape from the challenges he faces in coping with his unruly father’s ill health. Starting from nothing and ending (for now) with a marathon, it is clear that Mark finds plenty of motivation to be alone with his thoughts and escape from the stress of dealing with his father and the health care system. “So I ran,” he says, and he proceeds to describe the events that try, but do not stop, him on his ever-lengthening outings.
Running to cope with stress or challenges, to free your mind to wander or to consider possible solutions, is always a great idea. We can obviously sympathize with Mark as he struggles with his emotions about his father. It is also interesting and important that his feelings about his father and his running evolve over time – specifically, instead of running to gain acceptance from his father (even though his father was in no mental state to provide it), he instead ran to distance himself – to choose his own course in life. This is another great motivation for running – to go beyond what others think possible of you, to establish that passion that is truly “your own”. As much as the encouragement of others can help, at the end, it is only self-motivation that can help you achieve or exceed your goals, and keep your commitment to your running.
My concern for Mark, and others who run to escape from a “temporary” situation, is this – what happens when the stimulus fades? In Mark’s case, his father will someday pass on to the other side. Sure, the stress will continue for some time, and the memory of how running provided a sense of freedom will endure for awhile, but is there the long-term purpose that can carry through once the stress begins to subside, and life returns to “normal”. I hope it does. I hope that the feeling Mark expresses as he reaches mile 23 of the marathon – not the sadness that the marathon can end, but the dream that the running can continue, will be the long-term motivation he needs to maintain this physically and mentally healthy habit that we all enjoy.
Have any of you faced the challenge of having your primary motivation to run removed – say your job situation improves (or you find a job), a relationship turns less stressful or ends, or you realize the initial health improvements you were seeking? How have you re-stated your purpose in running, to help you keep going?
