By Angelina Stevens
In the past few months, I have re-ignited an old flame. As I write this article, I am filled with nervous excitement and anticipation, all topped with a thin layer of pure nervous fear. I have spent the last 3 months falling back in love with distance running and preparing for the New York City Marathon. I say preparing, rather than training, as there is much more involved than simply running several hundred miles. Getting over the mental and emotional blocks to allowing your body to run for several hours without stopping can take a lot of courage, confidence, and squashing the monkey-mind chatter that tells you that running 26.2 miles is an impossible, grueling task. It is also a bit humorous, that by the time you are reading this article, I will have conquered and exited the emotional marathon roller coaster with a new perspective and some great memories of traversing the five boroughs of the city.
Join The Tribe of Runners
I have had several people act as if I were running across the Sahara desert when I told them about running New York. Our bodies thrive off of activity and are meant to move. Cave men did not spend 8–10 hours sitting in front of a computer in a cubicle. With the right conditioning and motivation, just about anyone can run a marathon. It is important to see your running goals as achievable and realistic and to surround yourself with other like-minded inspiring people. Like attracts like, so take measure of how you feel in your closest relationships and cut the fat out of the relationships that leave you feeling negative, stressed, or deflated. Healthy relationships can increase overall energy levels and can greatly enhance your running and your life. Another way to increase your running satisfaction is to submerge yourself in the sport. One of my mentors would say, “Fall in love with everything you do, and you will soon become a magnet and an expert.” Others will be drawn to you to join your circle of expertise and your tribe will grow. So go out and get the gear, eat our goo, wear anything that is compression, and hang out with other tribe runners.
The Circle Of Group Running
The part of my marathon preparation that I would not trade for anything was my Saturday morning group run. The group each week was always a little different, the runs were always a little haphazard and fun, and different runners came and went. I noticed that in a group, I ran better, faster, and more efficiently than on my solo runs. The energy of the group, the constant entertainment and conversations would keep me coming back week after week. I made new best friends, worked through life problems, and become a better listener. Running forces you to be present and aware of what is going on with your body. When you run, food tastes much better, and life seems to be more alive. There is an absence of judgment, time, and space, when you let the energy of the group take over your run. My group takes away the sluggishness of my legs and fills me up with inspiration and motivation. So as of now, my dance through the streets of New York is to be determined, but as you can see, the preparation has already paid off tenfold. After all, it is not about the outcome or destination but all the moments of experience in between that make up a phenomenal marathon and a great life!
Editor’s note: Angelina finished the New York Marathon in a Boston Marathon–qualifying time. Congratulations!
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Dr. Angelina V. Stevens, D.C., owns holistic chiropractic and acupuncture centers in Durham and Chapel Hill. She is passionate about healing the body naturally without the use of drugs or surgery and by finding the true causes of pain and illness. As a triathlete, Dr. Angelina has completed in world-class events and has represented the U.S. as a triathlete on Team USA 2001. She currently competes as an elite cyclo-cross racer and can be reached at HYPERLINK “http://www.stevenswellness.com” www.stevenswellness.com or e-mail at HYPERLINK “mailto:drangelina@stevenswellness.com” drangelina@stevenswellness.com
