Look Back - But Only for a Little

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As I was out for my morning miles, I was thinking about the progress I've made but, at the same time, the days behind me that hold some of my best runs. We are told "don't look back - you're not going that way." "Don't judge yourself by your past. You don't live there anymore." "The life in front of you is far more important than the life behind you." I do think it's important to look back on your past every now and then. After all, could you imagine driving without ever looking in your rearview mirror? You could miss things that are necessary to stay safe. I think it's important, however, to not get stuck in the past. Don't long for a time that has come and gone, for a version of you that no longer exists. Each experience molds you into the person you are today, the future version of you that you are becoming. 

I also don't think it's great to focus too long on the future, longing for days yet to come. Of course it is good to have goals, but we can't live in the mindset of "When this project is complete, I will have more time to spend with friends or family," "When I lose this amount of weight, I will like the person I am," or "When I can run for this distance in a set amount of time, then I will consider myself a 'runner'." When we do this, we trap ourselves in a constant state of not enjoying the present moment and probably not living up to our God-given potential.

I began running in 2013 and would consider 2014 to be my best year of running. Why? My mileage was increased as I trained for my one and only (to date) half marathon, my speed was consistent, and I had lost weight. I felt good overall and was proud of my new hobby, not comparing myself to anyone else but simply accomplishing my own personal goals as I "competed" against myself. Fast forward to today and it's easy to not feel fit enough or fast enough. Who would look at me and immediately know that I am a runner? I could easily look back and compare my current runs to my past runs and get discouraged that I may never rack up those mileage goals again.

I think it's important to look back on 2014 and remember the goals I was able to accomplish to be reminded of what my body is capable of, but I don't want to look back and get stuck in the thinking that my best has come and gone. I also think it's important to look to the future and know that with proper nutrition, discipline and education on the sport of running, I can become better. I want to encourage myself to seek improvement, but I don't want to get stuck in the thinking that my best days have yet to come. Rather, I want to run each mile with purpose in pursuit of feeling good in the moment and knowing that I gave it my all for that particular day. Philippians 3:13-14 (CSB) reads, "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus." Yes, forget what is behind and reach for what is ahead, but don't forget to look around and thank God for the very moment you are in.

 

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