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Previous issues: 2004 Soapboxes
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Aimee's Soapbox!
May 2005: My Big Race is Over; Now What?!
So you've just finished your big spring goal race. You worked hard for the past coupla months, you focused,
you trained, you did all the hard work and got to your BIG EVENT.
Maybe your event went well, and maybe it didn't go exactly as planned. Either way, you might be left with a
feeling of, "Now what?"
Groovy Readers, don't despair. Everyone feels this way after a Big Event. (The temptation to talk about my
first marriage is oh-so-great here. But I digress.....)
Anyway, as I said, we often feel a little letdown after a big race that we have focused on for so long. We feel
a little aimless or empty or directionless. Of course, it's more likely that we will feel this way if we did not
achieve our goals for the race, but often we can feel that way even if we did "kick butt and take names" at the event.
Here are some thoughts on what to do now that the Big Spring Race is done:
1. STOP JUDGING YOURSELF. Let's say your event did not go exactly as planned. You may have missed your goal
by a minute or you may even have DNF'ed. In typical runner fashion, we will often then judge ourselves as losers
or failures. This is the meanest, cruelest, most dishonorable thing you could ever do to yourself. I swear, if I had
just one wish, I would eradicate the concept of "less-than-perfect is failure." We humans seem to have this perfectionist gene
that tells our brain that mistakes equal failures, rather than mistakes are simply opportunities to learn and grow. Wouldn't
it be great to be free from the "punishment" we often package together with our fumbles? We would then be free to move
on and grow. Which, conveniently, is Number Two.
2. REVIEW AND REASSESS. Whether you smashed your PR or completely blew your game plan, now is the time to review your
whole plan. What part of your training went well? What nutritional changes could you make? Is there a more
effective way for you to stretch? Could you add in some cross-training to prevent injury? Look at what you did well along with
what you need to change. THIS IS YOUR BIG OPPORTUNITY! Where could you grow as a runner? As an athlete? As a human being?
3. MAKE NEW GOALS. If you've just finished a big marathon, probably the last thing you want to think about is your NEXT
marathon. So, OK, give yourself a bit of a break, but then do jump back on that horse. What race or event would you like to
focus on next? Without goals, we are simply taking up space and dishonoring the gifts we have been given. So, suck it up, put pen
to paper, and write your new goals.
Speaking of goals, I wanted to tell you a story about myself to illustrate the importance of this concept. Recently,
I have found myself running and racing again after a four-year break. Now, this return to racing was not part of my
original game plan, so I was feeling a bit lost. I was running and lifting weights and taking a self-defense class, but I did
not have any real sports goals. I was going through the motions. At this point, I would have two choices: feel sorry for myself
and keep floating around aimlessly and eventually hate running, or get off my directionless butt and make a new game plan.
See, I have this philosophical belief system called "serendipity." What this means is that everything happens for a reason and
everything happens perfectly. This "perfect" does NOT mean "what I want." But rather it means "what is the best right path for
me and my growth as a human being." Do you see the difference?
So, even though my original game plan got changed, I need to keep learning, just maybe not in the way that I had thought. Therefore,
I now need to review, reassess, and make new goals.
Not sure how to choose your goals? Take this tip from some famous folks who study this kind of thing. Ask yourself one simple
question: What gives me the greatest sense of self-worth? In other words, what is the thing that makes you shine, makes you feel
the grooviest? Of course, you can see that I am no longer talking about just running here. But you can apply this to question
to any area in your life to help you set your goals. What would you do if you could do anything?
Now, go get that piece of paper and write your new game plan to achieve your grooviness!
Coming up...
The grooviest yet. Get ready for some pretty far out stuff. A different perspective is coming up!
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