Run One Mile: Death to Friday at Five
Happy Friday, friends!
We're pivoting! If you've been with me for a while on Friday at Five, you know that I've written about a bunch of different topics. What I've rediscovered is a love of writing!
At the same time, I've been looking for a way to simplify and focus a bit more. What I've enjoyed most and what's gotten the most feedback/interaction from you has been writing about running. So, you'll feel that flavor going forward!
Here's what's not changing:
- I'm still writing a book about asking great questions and will keep you updated.
- I'll still be sharing great stories that apply to all sorts of areas of life.
- I'll still share inspiring quotes and practical tips for life.
- I'll still share my stories and mishaps, like when my car got broken into.
- I'll still send these out on Friday at 5am.
Here's what is changing:
- The flavor of the weekly email will have more running to it. Epic running stories. Running tips. Life lessons from running. Incredible runners.
- I'm calling it Run One Mile: Because when you run one mile... one mile inevitably turns to two... Then, to three... And before you know it, you're running further than you ever dreamed.
- There won't be exactly five things every week. 😀
If you despise running, this one might be on unsubscribe for ya. No hard feelings if it is. Otherwise, I'm excited to keep you onboard!
Now, on to this week's Run One Mile:
💬 "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." - John Bingham
🤔 Celebrating Others
Let me introduce you to a guy named Zach Miller. He's an incredible runner who has been pursuing winning the UTMB, kind of the biggest trail race in the world (106 miles, 32,800 feet of elevation gain) for years. No American male had done it until this year.
In this picture, he's crossing the finish line... in second place...
He's pointing to Jim Walmsley, the American male who passed him 20 miles to the finish line. But with a quick glance, you can tell there's no animosity in the moment. He's ecstatic for Jim.
A simple challenge from this story: Celebrate the person in front of you.
Whether that be in a trail run, at work, or somewhere else, can you celebrate someone? Even if they are ahead of you? Even if they have success you don't? Even if their success came at the expense of your own?
This might be the single biggest reason I love the trail running community. We celebrate those in front of us, and we lend a hand to those behind us.
🏃🏻♂️ Winning Your Morning (When You're Not a Morning Person)
So, I'm not a morning person. Like, I used to set four alarm clocks in my college dorm in the four corners of my room... only to jump out of my lofted bed, shut them all off, and then climb back in bed... asleep seconds later.
My marriage was saved by an Apple Watch with a vibrate function for an alarm rather than a noise that woke my wife up... Coros is the way to go now.
To run ultramarathons last year, I had to figure out how to get up and run at 5am consistently. So, no matter what you're trying to get up for, this is how you get your tail out of bed:
- Get a Goal - Nothing gets you out of bed like a day of reckoning you paid for that is fast approaching. Training got serious the moment I spent $100 on a race entry.
- Set Out Supplies The Night Before - I needed running clothes, pack, hydration flasks, running snacks, etc. The discipline to spend less than five minutes the night before changed the game the morning of.
- Imagine - Imagine what life would be like if you could get up. Spend a few minutes right now thinking about it. It's actually really motivating.
- Talk With Your Spouse - With two toddlers, Shelby and I had to get on the same page. We agreed that I had to be back at 6:30am, so that I could help with kids if need be. Her support was vital to the goal! Get on the same page.
- Consciously Consider - The night before, I usually spend a minute or two as I drift off to sleep considering what time my alarm will go off, what time I will be out the door, what that would feel like based on bedtime, etc. This was critical for me to remember in the morning grogginess.
- Commit To A Week - As I trialed all this, I committed to a 1.7 mile run each morning for four mornings in a row. The small commitment made me realize I could do it. Four months later, I was completing my first 50k in nine years!
See you on the trails!
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Just run one mile... because one mile inevitably turns to two... Then, to three... And before you know it, you're running further than you ever dreamed.
