What choice are you going to make? {New Year, New You}
Written by Whitney Sutherland of Running with Whit.

Hey there! Happy New Year to you all.   As a runner I sometimes skip out on setting New Year’s resolutions.  For me, a resolution is just a goal and you can set goals whenever you want!  While I train throughout the year, I tend to set most of my fitness goals during the warmer months when I’m doing races.   I vary from year to year but generally I will pick a distance or speed that I want to train for and will work towards achieving that goal over a couple of months or even the year.  For instance last year, my goal was to complete a Half Ironman.

Two years ago, my goals were more focused on running and I was working hard to run faster across various distances.  It was a year full of highs and lows and one that helped me learn one of the most powerful secrets to running and in some ways life too.

I had been training for the Route 66 Half Marathon in Tulsa that year as my goal race and I really wanted to set a new PR or personal record.  (A PR is the best time that you have ever run for a specific race distance.)  My training that year went awesome! My running partner Anne and I had perfected our training plan and we were both feeling strong and injury free throughout the weeks leading up to the race.  The goals that I set for the race reflected my training, preparation, and desire to PR:

A)    Finish under 2:10

B)    Finish in 2:12 range

C)    Finish within 1 min above/below my PR of 2:14

D)    To Finish

Race weekend came around and the weather was warm, humid, and very windy. I woke up race morning tired after hardly sleeping due to nerves. As I waited for the shuttle to the starting line I struggled to feel the confidence I should have felt.  I met up with my running partner and she pumped me up…sadly it didn’t last.  The course was wet with the humidity and within the first few miles I developed a side stitch and my head became full of negative thoughts.  As much I as tried to listen to Anne, I couldn’t shake the grumpy thoughts and I wasn’t even running my goal pace.  At mile 3 of 13.1, I officially gave up.  I sent Anne on her way and then I struggled to the finish.

At 2:23:16, my time wasn’t awful but it was about 8 minutes slower than my C goal and 13 minutes slower than my A goal.  I did finish so at least I had that going for me! I was really proud of Anne who picked up the pace and finished in 2:09:45 but I was embarrassed that I had combusted in such a big way.  Even worse was that I knew I had to tell my friends, coach, and the blog world of my failure to PR.  From the minute the race had started, I let the pressure of trying to PR get in my head and I listened to that voice inside that told me “You can’t do it.” “You can’t keep up this pace.” “You should walk.” Etc.

I took a few days to figure it all out and knew that I wanted to try again because I knew I could conquer this mental meanie in my head telling me that I couldn’t do it.  I found another race one month away in Springfield, MO and made secret plans to run.  I didn’t tell many people about it because I wanted to do this for me…to show myself that I am capable of setting a goal and accomplishing it.  The race course was a 4 loop course around a college campus so I broke my goal down to hit 33 minutes per loop (which would equal a 2:12 finish.)  This let me think about the race in smaller chunks and it wasn’t as overwhelming.  The whole race I avoided checking my pace except for when I completed a loop.   I used the other participants to keep myself in the moment each lap.  I finished the race in a time of 2:09:05 which was a 5 minute PR and a definite improvement over the previous month.  I walked away from that race knowing that I had a wonderful power…I could make the choice to succeed, to have positive self-talk, to accomplish my goals, and to PR!!!

The combination of these two races taught me how important the mental aspect is in the things that we do whether it is fitness, relationships, work, etc.  Now when I am in a tough situation, I know that I can make the decision to react to it better.  Some of my Route 66 issues were things I couldn’t control and I failed that day because I gave up on what I could control…me!  I made a choice to listen to that voice of self-doubt that we all have instead of the voice that knew how strong I was.  This race will always be dear to me because without it I would never have run the second race and discovered the power of my mental strength.

As you reflect on your resolutions and goals, I hope you make the choices you need to in order to be successful each and every day.  You are stronger and more powerful than you know, just trust in yourself! Don’t worry if you are behind or have given up on that resolution already.  Regroup, break it down into smaller pieces and try again.  Best of luck and Happy New Year, New You!

Whitney blogs at Running with Whit about her journey through the highs and lows of life as a runner and triathlete.  She loves to spend time with her friends who motivate and coach her through races and life.  You can find her on Twitter @runningwhit.