Letting Go of the Ego
by Chris Burnaw
In 2015, I announced in this column that I was going to train for and run in the Gazelle Girl Half Marathon with my sister . . . and we did it! I worked through an injury that year and the next to complete two Half Marathons, which is two more than I ever thought I would. Last year, I started training for a third, but for a lot of reasons (you know, life) I had a bad training season. I made the decision a couple of weeks before the event to dial it back to the 10K. Although hard to make, it was a good decision.
After some self-reflection when planning for this year’s Gazelle Girl, I decided that 13.1 miles isn’t a distance that works for me, for a variety of reasons (one being that I really don’t like to run that far!). If I look at it honestly, the 10K is a good distance for my mind, body, and spirit... pushing me, but not wrecking me.
To get there, though, I had to decide not to let my ego run the show. It’s hard seeing my sister and her friends take off for the “big” race and not feeling left out, left behind, even knowing that I’m running my race, my distance, my pace because it’s what’s right for me.
But you know what? Anything that challenges you is something to be proud of; any healthy goal you set and meet should give that old ego a boost. One of the really cool things about Gazelle Girl is the sense of sisterhood and community. No matter what your distance or pace, whether you walk or run, these women lift you up and make you feel such a sense of accomplishment!
So instead of letting my ego make me feel not good enough, I’ll focus on the pride I feel for my sister Sarah and the amazing ladies she runs with, who make me feel part of their tribe whenever I’m with them; on the pride I feel in myself for finding my happy distance instead of giving up and doing no distance; on the pride we should all feel when we do something that’s good for our health!
What’s your healthy story? Do you have a group that lifts you up and helps you feel good about your fitness goals? Tell us about it on our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/HealthyMuskegonCounty/ and help inspire our community to be the healthiest we can be!
