What is the “right” decision to make?

Here's the scenario, you are late in a race. You have been battling back and forth with another racer. You have been exchanging moves and trying to gauge what to do next.

Finally, you make a decision. You go all out. Inhaling of oxygen becomes secondary to your effort. You are pumping your arms and driving quads into the air. Each step is made with a single solitary goal of getting you to the finish line before your opponent. Finally, the line is within reach. The bulging of your eyes, the puffing of your checks, and the display of the veins in your neck all go into telling spectators how much you want it.

Bang, you cross the line. So was it the right decision?

Let's be honest with ourselves and say it this way. During a race there is no way to know if a decision is a good one or bad one. All, any runner can do is make a decision and live with the results. Then, after the race if you were successful, your move was probably a good one. If you lost or didn't do as well as you had hoped, then maybe this wasn't the best course of action to take.

Remember, you should not be too hard on yourself when it comes to judging your race results. Just because you lose to someone doesn't mean your decision wasn't a good one. Your decision might have caused both of you to run much faster than you expected or it might have kept you ahead of someone else that was closing on the two of you.

Racing involves many, many factors. Of all these factors, you have control of exactly one of them – yourself.

Perspective is an important part when it comes to maintaining a healthy balance to running, racing, and life.

 

Sharing one thought at time,

The Cool Down Runner