Painting A Beautiful Life

Getting Out of My Comfort Zone

For the past 6 weeks, I have been participating in a Duathlon training class.  For 2 hours on Sunday afternoons, we run and bike until we’re ready to drop.  It’s been great for me.  As my profile states, I’m a reluctant runner at best and between running and biking, running is my strength.  This has been just the kick in the ass I needed.

Last Sunday we were working on timed running drills.  Our instructor divided us into three groups, based on previously recorded speeds.   She called my name along with two other women to be in the first group.  The slowest group.  Now, if you’re someone who has ever had the misfortune of taking a high school gym class with me, this should not come as a surprise.  So, it didn't really bother me.  At first. But then someone called out “Awww, it’s the injured group.”.

Insert screeching halt noise here.  What you talkin’ about Willis?  “I am not injured”, I informed them all, “this is my actual speed”.  Cue sound of birds chirping.

And so we ran.  The slow group went first and, to my credit, I smoked those ladies.  Good to know that  I’m faster than a woman with a hip injury and a woman who is not running at all, but rather walking.  And then there are the 10 other women that are faster than me.  By a whole lot. 

On the second interval, I experience a shift in my thinking.  I realize that I have allowed this instructor to define me as slow.  And because I believe her, I am traveling along at a very comfortable pace that is, in fact, rather slow. 

So on the third interval, I announce that I would like to try running with the faster groups.  We take off, and I am running with all my might.  The group is pulling away.  The three fastest ladies are way ahead, and the others are just out of reach, the distance between us ever increasing, despite my best effort.  The entire run is only one half mile.  And it feels like I am going to die.  I come in dead last.  But on the bright side, I end up beating my first two times by about 30 seconds, which is quite a lot. 

On the last interval, I decide to run with the fast group again.  All I am thinking about is that I’d rather be the last winner than the first loser.  Once again, I come in about 30 seconds faster than I was on my first two tries.  It turns out I can run a half mile in 4 minutes and 9 seconds.  And everyone is impressed.  And I am pretty darn proud of myself.

I’ve spent the last few days thinking about how I can this apply this lesson to just about every aspect of my life.  It’s become crystal clear to me that if I am not willing to get out of my comfort zone, I am never going to make any progress.  In any area of my life. 

“Running at a comfortable pace” is nice for awhile, but how can you ever get ahead that way?  If you always run at the same pace, how can you ever improve upon what you’ve done before? 

So I am feeling more willing now to push myself harder not just in running but in all areas.  I am willing to feel out of breath, to have my legs hurt, or my brain, or even my pride.  I am willing to feel like a loser among winners.  Because in the end, that really is better than being a winner among losers.

Of course breaking out of your comfort zone includes overcoming your fear of failure, which was the topic of my last post.  I am happy to report that I successfully pushed through my fear and finished my chair project.  This is the chair that will make its way around Severna Park this spring, along with many others, before being auctioned off in June.  The auction will support the Severna Park Community Center.  The inspiration for the chair was, no so coincidentally, running!