Growth from Adversity: Shifting our Perspective on the Lows of Running
Adversity is defined as a state or instance of serious difficulty or misfortune. It is often accompanied by feelings like sadness, shame, fear, discomfort, and confusion. When we face adversity, some of us find comfort in avoidance, while others become our harshest critics - both totally natural reactions driven by a desire to escape or make sense of unpleasant experiences.
As runners, we are no strangers to adversity. Some might say we embody true grit. We face all kinds of challenges – extreme weather, soreness, fatigue – stripping us of the comfort zones we as humans often cling to. Our running journeys also include more intense hurdles such as injures, burnout, motivational struggles, self-doubt, comparisons, and lost goals. These darker sides of adversity often prompt us as runners to push harder or avoid the issue at hand altogether. When the setbacks don’t align with our original plan, it’s difficult to see how they could lead to anything other than more struggle.
Yet, looking back, we often realize that it’s in our hardest moments that we see the most growth. So, what if we could change how we view and respond to adversity? What if, instead of seeing it as something to fear and avoid, we recognized it as an opportunity for transformation?
Embracing Adversity in Running
Life is in a constant state of flux, sometimes harshly so. In moments of adversity, it can feel like we’re stuck in a never-ending loop. The discomfort and frustration can weigh heavily, especially when we view it as failure or an unwelcome detour. But here’s the thing: adversity is often misjudged and the perspective we choose is everything. Think of adversity like a storm – at first it’s overwhelming. The wind disrupts us, the rain blinds us, and chaos surrounds us. But after the storm passes, we often find that the air is clearer, the sky brighter, and the ground more solid. Viewing adversity this way reminds us that even the most challenging moments can clear the way for something stronger. While we may not understand the storm in the moment, time often reveals how it reshapes the landscape of our lives in ways that allow us to flourish.
It might sound a bit “woo-hoo”, but hear me out: most of the answers are already within us. By simply sitting with discomfort and allowing ourselves to fully experience the struggle without judgement, we create space for a gentle shift. When we do this consistently, we can begin to uncover the deeper causes for our struggles. During moments of discomfort and frustration, we might ask ourselves: What is this experience teaching me? This simple question can reveal hidden fears or negatives beliefs we’ve been carrying – fears about the future, or doubts about ourselves, such as not feeling as though we are “enough”.
Adversity can take many forms in running, but when we embrace it, there are always valuable lessons hidden beneath the surface:
Illness: We might come to realize that our body was asking for rest and we’ve been pushing ourselves too hard, ignoring the whispers our bodies sends us when we’re out of balance. This recognition makes us wiser, kinder to ourselves, and more attuned to what we truly need.
DNFs or Missed Goals: We might uncover a deeper understanding of what running means to us. Maybe it’s not always about crossing the finish line or hitting that PR – it’s about honoring the journey and accepting that life often doesn’t go exactly as planned, and finding peace with that. When we focus on the process rather than fixating on the end result, we create space for new exciting opportunities, more joy, and a deeper self-awareness.
Injury: This might be an opportunity to listen to our body - What is it asking for? If we treated our bodies as we would a child, would we push through pain, or would we allow time to heal to come back stronger in order to truly play? This is an invitation to reconnect with our body’s wisdom and nurture it so that it can carry us further.
Final Thoughts
The key message here isn’t to minimize the hardships we face or encourage “just thinking positively” – we all know that’s impossible in tough times. Adversity is inevitable, and we’ll all encounter it in different forms. What we can change is our perspective: accepting that obstacles are a part of life and feeling the emotions that arise along with them without judgement.
My hope for each of you is that, in your lowest moments, you can find a spark of compassion for yourself. Know that these moments are not permanent - they’re just small chapters in the larger story of your life. Embrace them. Learn from them. Adapt from them. Let them propel you forward. Remember: every step, every setback, every challenge is part of your story. Don’t look at adversities as a wall, but as a stepping stone for growth.
