One thing to cherish about running, especially as you age, is how you can measure it in clear-cut terms if you want. Did I run faster at last weekend’s 5K than on the same course last year? Am I now averaging more miles per week than I was two years ago?
Those objective measures of success are increasingly hard to come by in most other areas of modern life. Are you a better parent than you were five years ago? Are you a better person to be in a relationship with than you used to be? A better friend? How do you know? Even at work, most of us lack quantifiable, black-and-white barometers of progress. We move data around, we have meetings about meetings, we write memos, we serve others, we collaborate. Rewarding work, for sure, but difficult to point at and say, “Yes, here I can see exactly how much I did, and how good it was; others’ evaluation of my work doesn’t really matter.” Running, especially through racing, can offer needed time in the no-spin zone.