Language is odd—especially the English language, so I’m told. Words spelled the same can have dramatically different meanings. As it is now “spring” in this part of the world, I began to consider how this season influences runners, but then my mind wandered to consider the other meanings of the word. You might find a spring by a spring in the spring. Or not. However, you may find that the variety of meanings have a lot to do with running, and even life itself.
Part One: “Spring,” the Season
For us in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s spring. The cold weather is changing to much warmer days and optimism is in the air.
It’s one of my favorite times of the year: I feel anticipation and excitement, hope for more sunshine, a yearn to run without multiple layers (base-layer, long-sleeved shirt, short-sleeved shirt, jacket, neck-warmer, balaclava, hat, hood…you get the idea). With all the extra weight of multiple layers, winter running is a bit like weight training and running at the same time. And you run the risk of being viewed with suspicion, looking like thieves: “Officer, there’s a group of hoodlums running away, wearing balaclavas and skin-tight leggings!”
You don’t have to live in the cold parts of the world, however, to appreciate why the spring season brings with it such feelings of hope and anticipation. It’s the concept of renewal and transition that’s important.
In cold climes, you may have slogged on a treadmill inside during a hard winter, and now it’s time to look forward to switching things up to run outside on the road, paved path, or trail, or you may have contended with snow and ice such that a five km run used up as much energy as if you had run twenty. No matter where you live, you may have been nursing a running injury and are hoping to get back on the road sooner rather than later.
You may be worn out from the anxiety of a pandemic or have faced personal hardship, grief, or other challenges to your mental health and are looking ahead for better days.
Spring is a transition to the sun on our shoulders and brings with it hope for revitalization and renewal. We may not always think this but—as runners—we have an inherent ability to overcome challenges, whether that be the mental burden we face at the thirty-five km mark of a marathon, or simply getting out the door some days to go for a short run.
Runners often have far more mental strength than we admit.
The change in seasons should be a reminder that things can always get better, pain and injury can be overcome, and we can find inner strength to carry on in the face of adversity.
Just think of how many times you’ve thought, “I can’t finish this run. I don’t have the strength,” but you pulled it off all the same. Confession: I have self-defeating thoughts during many of my long runs. But I can’t recall ever actually cutting a run short, even though my brain has tried to stop me!
Like the hope, renewal, and revitalization that is the promise of the spring season, we can choose to be optimistic in running and in life. Restoration and revival can be ahead despite your current challenges.
Spring always arrives. Keep the faith! Keep hitting the road!
Run Your Happy!
Next time we’ll look at a runner’s perspective on “Spring,” the Twisty Metal Thing.