When someone overtakes you – or you cruise past someone else – there are things you need to know before you can feel bad or good about yourself.*
How long have they been running?
How far have they come, and how far are they planning to go?
How far did they run yesterday?
Is “fast” even their aim?
Is it yours?
What did they have to overcome just to get out of the door this morning? What’s their history of illness, injury or ill-luck?
Who’s been helping them?
How long has this person been a runner?
Will they be running here next year? In ten years? In forty?
Will you?
Who’s enjoying it the most?
How would it change things if you started running together?
*Not least, are you really going to let how someone else is running change how you feel about yourself?
Love this. SO easy to compare ourselves to others and yet we know so little about them. And this example rings very true to me!!