When Are We Good Enough

At my last race I was given some news that had me so excited. I even went as far as posting on my Facebook, and I rarely ever post on my personal Facebook status updates that don’t pertain to heath or my kids.

I called my parents, told my siblings, even explained it all to Baby R. My excitement lasted a week before I started to let my negative thoughts and perceptions cloud my accomplishment and achievements.

You might be wondering, “Well okay, what was the great news already?!” A young lady congratulated me on my first place finish at my last 5 miler run and then asked if I was starting in elite seeding for Bloomsday. I told her I was pregnant last year when I ran Bloomsday so my time wasn’t fast enough. She told me that my time today would “totally qualify you.” After discussing it further, I had realized I had qualified for elite seeding for Bloomsday.

I was honored with the privilege of starting with the elite runners. Those runners who are sponsored, who run races for prize money. Those that are professional runners, who do it for a living. I was beyond excited. Then after emailing the race director, and confirming that I would be starting with the pro field, my excitement was lost, and fear was left.

I told myself I wasn’t fast enough to start with the professional runners. I wasn’t a professional runner. They were going to crush me, and I would be left in last place, embarrassed and defeated. I even considered just staying in second seeding to save my pride. I wasn’t good enough to run with the best of the best, not good enough to be lining up next to professional runners, the Kenyans and Ethiopians, and the sponsored athletes.

Doubt and fear soon took the place of my excitement, and I soon forgot the accomplishment of being considered a “professional” runner. I decided I wasn’t good enough to start with the pros, even though my time qualified me. I wasn’t a professional runner.

When are we good enough? How fast do we have to be running before we consider ourselves good enough? Or even great? I believe we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves, clouding our ability and talents. I don’t think we have to be elites to be “good enough” or great runners. We don’t have to be the fastest, or winning all the races.

I find we gain the great and “good enough” status every time we cross the finish line. Why do we think we have to keep doing more, before we are good enough? Why do we think that we are never good enough? We begin this comparison game, comparing ourselves to others, typically faster runners, which results in negative thoughts about our own running and achievements.

It’s almost as if no matter how fast we run or what we do we are never good enough. We compare ourselves to other moms, other runners, other siblings, other wives/husbands, other professionals at work, etc. We look at what everyone else is doing, and all their accomplishments, down sizing our own great accomplishments.

For some the accomplishment of running a 5K is a big achievement, for others a marathon. For some a sub 3 hour marathon is an accomplishment and for others a sub 4 hour marathon. All of these achievements are good enough, more than good enough they are great, amazing. Why? Because maybe that 5K was the first time running that distance a new distance, and maybe that marathon under sub 4 was their new PR.

Maybe I am good enough to be starting with the pro’s on race morning. I may not be as fast as most of them, but it is a accomplishment just to say I was fast enough to start with them. I was good enough. I worked hard to gain the pro status, and even though I am not a professional runner, getting paid to run, I am still good enough for elite seeding. I am a great runner.

I don’t think you have to be fast to be a great runner. You don’t have to win races to be considered a great runner. A great runner are those runners who do it, even when it hurts, even when they don’t want to, even when it’s hard. A great runner is a runner who encourages others, is humble, inspiring, and determined. A great runner is the runner who took the first step, and started from wherever they were at.

We need to learn to appreciate our own accomplishments and stop comparing ourselves to others. We need to begin to realize we are good enough. We are great runners, mothers, and spouses. If we are out there doing it, persevering through challenging workouts and races, loving our children, growing in patience, and giving it our all, we are good enough. We are more than good enough, we are GREAT!!

And Congrats to Ben for winning the Stick giveaway. I have emailed you with more details.

Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit

So, when do you think we are good enough? Do we have to be fast to be considered great runners?