Amidst all the upset, angst, frustration and yes, for some, even anger and outrage amidst a shit tonne of event cancellations, I’m here to deliver you some good news.

“What the fuck? Good news?!?!?” I hear all you lovely little runner people cry out in unison.

Yes, good news.

The good news is… you didn’t train for nothing.

You didn’t slug your guts out these past few weeks or months or however long for nothing.

You didn’t pound the pavement/trails for all those miles, miss hanging out with people because you went to bed ridiculously early so you could get up ridiculously early the next day to run with other people, for nothing.

None if it is for nothing.

None of it is wasted.

Because the great paradox of running events is that, unless you’re a complete fucking dickhead, the whole point of events, is not actually the event.

Let me say that again in case you still can’t see clearly through all the tears you’re crying over your cancelled event.

Events aren’t actually about events.

What. The actual. Fuck?

But hear me out on this.

Events are just a focal point. A finish line. But also not really. More like a check point than a finish line. Because after that event, running, and life, goes on. (Hopefully.)

Events are about having something to aim for, but really, they’re about who you become.

They’re about the friends you make along the way.

They’re about how you transform your body. And mind.

The obstacles you overcome. The physical obstacles. And the mental ones.

They’re about becoming a better version of you.

And guess what? You’re that better version, not because you run the event, but because you trained for it. Because you did the fucking work. Even if you are bit underdone (said everyone ever), or overdone (said no one ever), or have a bit of a niggle, or whatever.

Not because you got a bib to pin on at the start, or a medal to hang around your neck at the end, but because you did the god damn mother fucking work.

And that’s what running events are really all about.

Not running events.

But who you become in the process.

Remember that. Please.

So keep training. Keep being amazing. Keep overcoming obstacles. Keep going to bed and getting up early. Keep clocking the miles. Keep being better than yesterday. And I’ll see you at the next event, whenever that may be. Possibly 2021.

Because being awesome is never fucking cancelled.

 

 

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