Last weekend, I ran in a 10km fun run. My husband, despite disputing the word ‘fun’, ran it too.
I’ve been running since my 30s (after spending 20 years believing I couldn’t run – that’s another story, which you can read about here), so 10km is an easy enough distance for me. I can happily trundle along on a Sunday run, listening to my music, pushing myself here and there on the hills. I live in the Hills District, so there are no flat runs when I walk out the front door – just choices about whether I want the big hill or the small hill.
A fun run, though, presents a different challenge. It’s a chance to push myself and beat a certain time. It means pacing myself so I don’t burn out early, and keeping enough in the tank to come home strong, while still feeling I’ve given it my all. I don’t want to cross the finish line thinking I could have tried harder.
For the first half of the run, I held a steady, slightly uncomfortable pace.
Then I dug in.
I pushed myself, increasing the discomfort. I focused on my breathing, reminding myself that hitting a goal isn’t meant to be easy. I chose runners ahead of me to slowly catch and pass. By the time I hit 8km, my self-talk was getting firmer: just a couple more songs and you’re finished. Dig deep. Keep going. I tried not to obsessively check my watch to see how much further I had to go.
I was also wishing I’d had a bit more water before the run, and wondering whether I should have brought an energy gel with me. A good reminder, even for a nutritionist (who recently completed a Sports Nutrition course!): strong foundations still need the day-to-day basics. Good fitness won’t fully make up for starting a challenge under-hydrated or under-fuelled. How we prepare in the hours before matters too.
Then, annoyingly, my watch showed 10km some distance before the finish line. It was another 400-odd metres to go! Somehow, I found it in me to dig a little deeper, pulling out a final sprint across the line.
I was happy with my time. Happy that I had pushed myself to my limit. Happy that I hadn’t given in to the discomfort and backed off towards the end.
What got me through that run wasn’t built on the day, though.
It was built on all the ordinary days beforehand: the Sunday runs with no finish line, the strength sessions three times a week, the everyday meals (I eat well most of the time – you’d hope so, given my occupation!), the sleep, and the decisions to keep going on days when I really didn’t feel like it. It was also built every time I pushed outside my comfort zone and discovered I could do more than I thought. That’s where my confidence in my own capacity comes from.
Strong foundations are built gradually, and then they’re there for us when we need them. They let us set a goal, work towards it, hit resistance and find a way through. They give us something to draw on when things get uncomfortable, and they help us build resilience and sometimes go further than we expected. They also let us relax occasionally, knowing that one extravagant meal, one missed workout or one difficult day isn’t going to undo everything we’ve built.
Running has taught me a lot about how change works, and it’s the same process I use with my clients, whether we’re focused on their general health, mindset, or both. We work on the foundations first, then we build from there. The goal might be improved energy or building confidence. It might be expanding a friendship group, getting through exams or reaching a target weight. Or it might simply be feeling better equipped to handle whatever life throws their way.
There will be challenges along the way, and days when things feel uncomfortable or don’t go to plan. That’s often where the growth happens. And when the foundations are strong, we have something solid to come back to, and something solid to build on.
My husband went into the fun run assuming he’d walk part of the way.
He ran the whole thing. He dug in when it got uncomfortable and discovered he had more in him than he expected. That’s what foundations do.
My question for you as we wrap up Foundations of Health month: what’s one small, ordinary-day habit you could strengthen this week?
My husband and I were both happy with our efforts, despite the discomfort.
And we very much enjoyed a coffee and caramel slice on the way home – because strong foundations have room for caramel slice too. 😉