In 2022 I ran a bit, and then I ran some more. At some point, I had a crazy (stupid) idea to run 2022 miles in 2022, not something I plan to repeat but somehow, I managed to complete this with a month long injury and six days to spare.
Running accounts for a lot of 2022’s highlights. I’ve run countless training runs with friends, managed my first sub-4 Marathon, first ultra marathon and first trail Marathon. I won’t be committing to quite as many races in 2023, but I am looking forward to kickstarting training for Brighton Marathon in January.
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| A rare running photo where I’m not wearing a look of pain and regret (almost certainly a brave face for the photographer) |
I’ve learned more about myself through running than in most of my professional roles combined. The highs and lows of endurance running apply to so many life challenges. Things can and will go wrong, learning when to push through, when to adapt and when to walk away has changed the way I approach so many situations.
We can all do things that we never thought possible. I’m a different person now than I was five years ago, doing things I would have previously ruled out both professionally and personally, In short, never write yourself off from something.
“If you’re not failing, you’re probably not trying hard enough”
Knowing when it’s time to adapt or stop is incredibly important. Pushing too hard can lead to a painful failure. Adapt early enough and you can still succeed. Always have a plan B/C in the back of your mind and adapt to them at the right time.
- Plan A : I’d like to get Kubernetes certified in Q1
- Plan B : I’d like to finish the three Kubernetes books I bought and the Udemy Course
- Plan C : If I finish the course I’ll still walk away knowing more than I did
Plan A should be achievable if no unknowns occur. We all know though that life happens when least expected and nothing can plan for that. I’d never run a race without at least two goal times and a Plan C of “Just finish”. As long as I finish, I’ve achieved something.
You can learn more about a person in an hour when things get tough than in a month when things are going well. I’m still learning to balance the right amount of stress/accountability vs when to ask for help/adapt the plan but the differences are night and day over a few years ago.
Anyway, Happy New Year, and here’s to a great 2023.