I also always try to identify similarities in running to things that any person would do in real life. One thing that I learned early in life is that no matter what, you cannot change the past. The only thing that you really have control over is the future, and even that can be hard to control. Once I started to run, I always equated running any race, no matter if it was a 5k or a marathon, to a life event. If I spent time looking over my shoulder to see who I had passed, I would not gain anything. Only by focusing on the person in front of me, and then setting my mind to catching them, could I have an opportunity to improve my outcome at the finish line.

I think that is why I prefer to start every race towards the back of the pack instead of at the front. I think that in my life I have started towards the back and have steadily worked my way towards the front as I approach the finish line. I was not a strong scholar in high school, didn’t get a scholarship anywhere, and really didn’t start to think that I could be near the front in the race of life…until I figured where I should look. I began to realize that you need to look where you are going, set the goal…and then give it your all to get there. Don’t spend all of your energy looking back – unless it is to make sure you don’t make the same mistakes.

So just remember that everything in life should be like a marathon. You never look back at who you passed, only at who is in front of you.

Once you get that down pat……put on your running shoes and get out and go for a run.

Finish line at the Chicago Marathon