Positive Results by Sabrina

No, I will never condone the “Running is cheaper than therapy” message. 

At one of our last races, someone held a sign that said “Therapy was an option too” and I laughed. I said, “Therapy made me cry too much!” but honestly, running makes me cry too.

Yes, running is a lot more fun than therapy, but no, it’s not a substitute. From someone who has been in therapy off and on for a good chunk of her life, as a patient and a parent, I know that there are certain things you can only work through and survive with a licensed therapist, and possibly a good prescription. Again, not a joke. The proper meds are very much a necessity for many of us. Some of us need a temporary reset to our brain chemistry, some of us need a permanent daily boost. We don’t shame people for needing water, you will not shame anyone for needing meds in my presence.

I will however, strongly encourage you to use running as a coping mechanism or tool in your tool belt. For many of us, this is not a small, travel-sized screwdriver. This is an industrial strength, power tool. 

1. When you’re running by yourself, you may find clarity, peace and comfort. 

Many of us hit the road to work through the tough parts of our lives. Many of us hit the road with no intention of fighting through or thinking about things, and the magic of the road just opens up the place in your brain where new ideas and clarity sit. More than once I’ve had to open the notes app on my phone during a run to make notes about an idea or answer that came to me. The rhythm of your feet on the ground must jostle things loose within your heart and mind, allowing them to flow in a way that rarely comes while sitting and trying to force them out. At least that’s the case for me.

2. Sharing the long miles with friends also bonds you in a way that you don’t get sitting around a table talking. 

A friend reminded me recently that trails provide therapy too. There are conversations that come up on the trails and long runs that don’t come up with every day activities. You get to know your long run friends better than you get to know your everyday friends. Maybe some people bond well over cocktails but how many of those shared emotions are washed away by alcohol fatigue or amnesia? I don’t think that long run exhaustion has the same amnesia effects. I think it helps the bonds burn deeper. Wounds have reopened for me on long runs, tears have flown and reassurances have been shared that will never be washed away by alcohol amnesia. 

3. You learn so much about yourself while conquering the miles you never thought you could achieve. 

And while you’re learning about yourself, you learn about the person beside you. Together you process this new person, these new abilities, fears, complaints and triumphs. The person who ran beside me pushing my baby in a stroller during my last timed mile challenge is the same person who helped me conquer 18, 20 and 26.2 miles last year. She learned how I dealt with pain and hunger. She learned how I pushed through fatigue, frustration and doubt. Those things didn’t come up during that single mile, nor could I speak them out loud because I was running too fast, lol. But during the long runs, when we’re running slow and confirming that I can keep my body moving for that many hours, I had time to verbalize the internal monologue and she had the choice to listen or drown me out.

4. The friends who have shared other long miles with me also know my musical taste and memory bank. 

There have been so many times that we’ve broken into song, spurred by a comment, or sang along to each other’s play lists. We’ve danced through the miles from beginning to end of races and training miles. I’m probably very lucky that most of my friends share at least parts of the same musical taste as I do. As I sit here writing, I wonder if musical taste has also helped shaped my choices in running friends, lol. I can’t imagine sharing the miles we have shared with people who had no idea what I was singing when their random comment caused me to break into song. 

5. Friends who can survive the tough miles with you can survive the tough times in life.

Friends who don’t walk away from you when you’re dirty, tired, angry, covered in mud and possible bodily fluids, aren’t going to walk away from you when you’re broken, lose your car or home, are fighting a medical crisis and need support like you’ve never needed before. They show up in the dark with whatever light they possess and remind you that even if they can’t fight the fight for you, you’re not going to fight alone. When you’re looking at your reason, season or lifetime categories of friends, these are the friends that you know came into your life to teach you things and aren’t afraid of tomorrow. 

It’s no secret that running changed my life in profound ways. I cannot guarantee that I would still be here if I had not found running prior to the pandemic. Running keeps me strong, mentally and physically, requiring me to take care of myself in ways I’ve skipped in previous seasons of my life. Running also allows me to show up for other people in my life. I know that if I agree to be there for someone, I will be there for them no matter what. For the last two years, I have attended the Dirty Dozen race to support my friends as they pursued epic goals. That allowed me to show up for and take care of myself in the best ways so that I was the friend that they needed beside them. I value friendship and our community. I am dedicated to showing up for myself and my friends and running allows me to display that in so many beautiful ways. Running will continue to be a valuable tool in my tool belt for years to come. If the season comes where I cannot run myself, I will continue to show up for them, because I can, I have and I know the power.