We all need support for our running. It could be your running shoes giving you extra support for your pronating feet or the draw string in your running shorts keeping them tight around your waist; whatever it may be, the most important support for running isn’t physical. It’s the emotional support we get from others that pushes us to the next level. It’s what motivates us to reach our goals. To keep running. I know, running is 95% mental and it is all on you whether you do it or not, push yourself or not, and reach your goals, but you still need the support of others in order to attain your highest potential. Running may be an individual sport, but guess what loner, you can’t do it all yourself. Trust me, I’ve tried.
There are three areas you can get your emotional support for running from: family, friends, and other runners. Your family are the ones that are most effected by your long runs and weekend trips to races. Without them being proponents of your running it would be virtually impossible to take the time you need out of your day to train. Your family probably knows that you need this time to relax and blow off steam. They also want you to be healthy. But honestly, they support your running because they just want you to be happy. Without this unconditional support you wouldn’t be able to run to the best of your ability.
I’m single with no kids (please don’t overload my inbox again ladies), so my family support for my running thus far has come from my parents, brothers, and sister-in-law, but I want to use this 6 hours past Father’s Day to reflect on my father’s support for my running. My fondest memories of my Father are him watching me run High School cross-country. My Dad was a runner, competing at a Division-I school in track and later for the United States Army, which probably enhanced his interests in my running versus other activities…and the fact that I was his flesh and blood probably helped too, but why he did it doesn’t matter. The fact that he was there, cheering for me and traversing the race course to see me run by as many times as possible was more than the amount of support I needed. His support was unconditional. No matter how fast or slow I was, he was there to motivate me to push myself. Never did he tell me at the end of a race that I could have run harder or that I went out too fast. He would only comment on my guts and or my good stride. That’s the kind of support you need from your family for running; even if you are as fast as a guy like me.
Your friends are another great source of support for your running. It really helps to have friends that enjoy running as much as you do. Friends that want to go on a long run on a Saturday morning instead of staying out late on a Friday night is a great way to support your running habit. Friends that enjoy being out there and running along with you. It also helps to have friends that enjoy running races. Running races is always more fun when do it with a group. The early morning wake-up, the freezing cold wait at the start line, and the high fives at the end of the race are all great support mechanisms for your running. Enjoy running with your friends for some excellent positive reinforcement.
Lastly thrive on support from other runners. Join a running group and enjoy the benefits of a group of like minded individuals coming together for one goal; to run more. Even if the people are not family or friends, they are runners. Runners have a common thread and common understanding of what it means to be a runner and the support that you need. If you don’t have a running group near you then get support online from websites just as awesome as this one…if you can find one. Use the running forum to get support from other runners on questions you may have. Use the mapping tool to give you the extra support on different runs or distances you need to achieve your goals. Pull from as many resources as you can find and connect with other runners all over the Internet.
The support for your running is out there, all you need to do is ask for it. Even though it is your own two feet moving, you can’t achieve your running goals alone. Like Joe Cocker says, “Mmm, I get high, with a little help, from my friends.” He singing about a runner’s high.
I take motivation from all of the above, and definitely wouldn’t be able to accomplish any sort of goal — athletic or otherwise — without a lot of cheerleaders. Like you, my first one was likely my dad, who along with my mom showed up to just about every cross-country and swim meet I ever competed in. What would we do without them?!
You think it means a lot to a teenager to have his Dad run all over a XC course to cheer on his son? I gotta tell you something. It means a lot to a Dad to see his son out there giving it his best shot.
Sounds like Father’s are very important running supporters. Happy belated Father’s Day to all the Dads out there!