Taking Risks

Good morning from high above somewhere in Pennsylvania! I’m en route to New Orleans via Cleveland and after indulging in some back issues of Runner’s World during takeoff, have decided to update the old blogaroo.

Spring break started last week and I feel so fortunate to have this built-in time to visit with family and friends, both locally and back home. Without the stress of work looming over me, I feel more at ease to go out with friends and enjoy being in the moment, something I struggle with at times on a day-to-day basis. This time with people I care about has allowed for many conversations with loved ones and while they spanned topics and level of seriousness, I noticed a common thread popping up in many of them: taking risks.

When I started running and “racing” (the act of running in races) just about three years ago, I was terrified. I knew it was a huge risk to not only set out to achieve such a huge goal, but to incorporate so many people who mattered so much me. I started blogging about running and through fundraising for the Serious Fun Network, worked hard to spread the word about what I was doing. When for the first time ever, I was running 4-11 mile training runs, it was constantly a thought in my mind that I had a lot to lose if I couldn’t accomplish what I set out to – time, confidence, face. When I think back to that first half-marathon and take the time to relive those feelings, I don’t question for a moment if the risks I took in committing to a half-marathon were worth it. The high of the day and the rush of every part of it were invaluable.

As I reflect on conversations I’ve had these past few days in particular, both with others and with myself, I think about how the fear of taking risks can control us. We are afraid of the unknown so it’s normal to want to play it safe, but when I think about what there is to gain, the picture changes. Instead of jumping off a cliff, it feels more like a roller coaster. When we choose to care about someone or something else (such as rooting a college basketball team and immediately feeling sick with nerves, hypothetically speaking of course), commit to a race or physical challenge, or apply for a new job or position, it’s scary. The fear of the unknown makes taking risks a mind game, but we must think about the benefits of doing so. Some races won’t go the way I want, relationships may cause us pain or grief, obstacles we set out to conquer may leave us on the wrong side of the mountain, but instead of focusing on what might not be, I think we need to focus on what can be. In a world of half-full and half-empty, it’s been proven that a positive, optimistic attitude can yield better results – results that might not be possible if you never dare to dream.

In the roller coaster of life, maybe all we can do is be our own biggest cheerleader, thrive off the high of the peaks in the ride, and remember that after the clink-clink-clink of the incline and the stomach-in-your-throat feeling of the fall, we almost are always ready to push through the turn-style and ride it again.