There are moments in all of our athletic journeys where the advice and sales pitches become more of a distraction than a help. Between the endless sea of fitness influencers, data-driven training metrics, and well-meaning advice from the “experts,” it’s easy to forget a fundamental truth: you are racing your own race.
As an older athlete who has spent time on the road, I’ve seen fitness trends come and go. From magical supplements to equipment guaranteed to shave minutes off your personal best, there is a tremendous amount of ingenuity going into the marketing of different products. If there’s one thing I have learned it is that managing workout information is an art form in itself. Some of it useful, some of it not, but always entertaining.
Every Piece of Advice is Just a Story
Every bit of training advice you read or hear—this blog included—is ultimately just a story of what worked for someone else. Your results will likely vary.
Aside from the hard, fast rules of physiology and physics, every single body is unique. What propels one runner to a PR might send another straight to physical therapy.
- Consider information critically: Never adopt a routine blindly just because an “expert” recommended it (especially our “gym bros”).
- Tune in to your body: Change your routines according to your personal feedback loops, not someone else’s training log. And never try a new product in competition. (If you do not know how your body will respond to a product, competition is not the time to find out.)
- Celebrate your uniqueness: Your recovery times, your optimal heart rate zones, and your biomechanics belong to you alone.
The Grace of Getting Schoolled
When you are a novice, errors in training are frequently corrected by physics (usually in the form of gravity or sudden stops). But if you are lucky, you might be corrected by a more experienced athlete first.
When I was starting out, a quick word from a veteran to bring a safety hazard or a technique flaw to my attention was commonplace. I took that tutoring with grace because I wanted to survive the sport.
Lately, however, things are different. Now that I am the experienced athlete offering a gentle “be careful” when someone presents themselves as a hazard, I am often met with lengthy scoldings. I’ve been lectured on how my minor safety tip carries the weight of a horrible interpretation of the person’s character, family history, and the safety of civilization itself.
All I said was “be careful.” Sheesh. What is it with people these days?
What Constitutes an Expert?
This brings up an important question for the modern amateur athlete: What actually constitutes an expert?
- Is it firsthand experience and years on the sport?
- Is it a collection of degrees and certifications? Not all degrees confer intelligence.
- Or has it become tied to a political position or identifying with the ideology of a particular group?
Ultimately, you have to decide who you trust. But remember: you do not have to accept the advice.
Own Your Choices and Embrace “Aha” Moments
If you choose to ignore advice—whether it’s a veteran telling you to look out for potholes or a coach telling you to slow down your recovery runs—suffering the consequences of that choice is how we learn.
However, hoping for an outcome you like while actively ignoring the reality of your choices is not an informed position.
A Truth to Live By: Acceptance of what Life serves up is an important adult skill that matures over a lifetime of practice.
Cherish those “aha” moments when a workout goes perfectly right, or perhaps more importantly, when it goes completely wrong. Learning is the ultimate goal. Lifelong learning gives us so much more than if we never tried at all. Keep moving, keep listening critically, and run your own race.
“The accountability rests with me.”
– Skip Prosser
You must be logged in to post a comment.