Redefining Success in Running: My Chicago Marathon Experience

After I ran the Chicago Marathon this fall, a few people said to me: “I know that probably wasn’t the time you wanted, but congrats.” In my heart, I know there was no ill-intent. But dang Negative Nancy woke up and took notice:

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YEAH, WHITNEY! DO YOU REALIZE YOU RAN YOUR SLOWEST TIME AS A MOM IN CHICAGO?

 THAT WAS TEN MINUTES SLOWER THAN YOUR LAST MARATHON!

& YOU CALL YOURSELF A RUNNING COACH!!

Some quick background: before lining up for Chicago, I had been on a 5+ year setback cycle full of injuries, illness, and health issues such as hormone imbalances. I had a pattern of rehabbing an injury, rushing to get as fit as I could, running a personal best in a marathon, only to get laid up for another year.

Something had to change.

So, I rehabbed my last injury (a torn labrum) and then worked to rebuild my body to bullet-proof it against injury, rebuild my running base, and rebuild my mind—perhaps the hardest part.

The Problem with Defining Success in Running by Personal Records

My running journey fell victim to something a lot of people’s running journeys fall victim to once they start getting faster and more competitive: I started to overly focus on the time, the outcome, instead of the journey. To me, success in running was all about running fast and faster—faster than my previous self and faster than my peers. It was all about extrinsic rather than intrinsic motivation.

And this sucked the joy out of running and instead of it feeling empowering—it felt really disappointing because I was constantly not living up to the impossible standards I had placed on myself.

This, in turn, contributed to my running injuries because I was constantly trying to get back to where I was before getting hurt. Even when I thought I was being patient with my volume and training, I wasn’t. And my body would break time and again.

So, I shopped around and hired a running coach (thanks, Nick!) who understood my inner struggle and would check me. He would challenge me the right amount and running would feel fun and fulfilling again.

Back to Negative Nancy, I realized that she was trying to protect me. She wasn’t ill-intended.  I started thinking — what is it that she wants? And I found the answer:

What she wants is acceptance for me. Community. She’s worried people will think negative things. Reject me. But Nancy, honey. If someone thinks less of me because I ran a 3:04 rather than a 2:59 or 2:52 that day, they are not my people.

Chicago was not about running a fast time. It was a celebration of ending a 5-year-cycle of setbacks. It was about believing in myself again.

It was not about proving. It was about redefining.

Redefining success.

The New Definition of Success in Running: Running for Fulfillment

Success in running isn’t about running fast times. Success in running is about enjoying the process, not rushing to the finish. Because what fun is that? You miss the good stuff.

If success in running was about running PRs, there would be an inherent shelf-life. A ceiling. You cannot run PRs all your life. In fact, not every goal race is going to be or should be a PR.  Running is impacted by all facets of our lives so there are different aims and start lines: Maybe life got really stressful. Or you had a baby. Or a death in the family. Or an injury or illness.

Success in running is not just about running fast times. Success in running is about balance, joy, and longevity.”

-Whitney Heins

The next race isn’t going to be your personal best. It is going to be a step.

And if you run a personal best, then likely you will be onto the next one. Or someone else will run faster and that will steal your satisfaction. Or, that personal best was years ago and, in your mind, you are constantly paling in comparison to your past self. You see what I am getting at?

If success in running was all about PRs, then you would die running that rat race. You would never get to truly feel fulfilled.

So, what is success in running?

I have redefined it. Success in running is this:

1. Running for YOU: Run to impress no one but yourself. The sooner you run to make yourself, and no one else, proud—the happier you will be.
2. Recognizing that RUNNING mimics LIFE: You run for reasons and seasons. There are ups and there are downs. Running bends to fit your life and meet you where you are at.
3. It’s NOT about personal records: The goal is not to PR in every race. The goal is to grow and learn each time.

I tried to obtain “success” the get fast quick way. And I got fast quick but then I got injured time and again, and frankly, depressed, for months on end.

Running in a way that leaves me feeling fulfilled and energized and healthy—even if the times fall at a slower rate is the key to longevity. It is my new definition of success in this sport.

Balancing the Desire to Run Personal Bests & Longevity

Many runners, once they get that taste of faster times, get impatient with their progress. They want it now—and that is where the trouble comes.

Most every runner wants to get faster. But success comes when runners focus on the process (journey) rather than the outcome (destination).

You can get faster with the new definition of success. I know I plan to! (My goal is to chase done a sub-2:50 at the age of 45!). The difference is that it is done in a sustainable way. With this, runners need to ensure they are enjoying the process:

Is running making them feel better? Are they having fun? Or are they down on themselves or disappointed after runs? Are they tired and cranky a lot of the time? Are they constantly comparing themselves to faster runners?

If you find yourself answering yes to the latter of these questions, then it is likely possible you are chasing the empty version of success. This is akin to fad diets and “get rich quick” schemes. This sport is built on consistency and patience. There is no way around that.

If you think you are focusing too much on the destination than the journey, recognition is an important first step. Working with a running coach who understands this trap can help get you out of it.

I hope other runners see too that not all stories are a straight up trajectory. In fact, most are not. That it’s normal to not PR or even want to PR in every goal race. That we have setbacks and new starting points. Once again, running mirrors life. And that’s all ok as long as we are growing and enjoying it.

So, Negative Nancy is quiet again now.

And I’m beginning my research on the next marathon in which, yes, I do hope to chase down a fast time—for no one but myself.

How do you define success in running?