Last August, I wrote a few sentences about Commitment. Since then, the word and I kept crossing paths. Time to dive a little deeper.
What’s Commitment, after all?
Despite its ostensible simplicity it has manifold meanings and use cases, e.g., to be fully committed, commit money, being committed for trial, to commit suicide, being committed to a person, etc.
If I had to put it in my own words, it would sound like this:
Commitment is an obligation. It’s the perseverance to follow through on a promise or a chosen path.
It’s the answer that needs no question:
“This is what I want to do. What I have to do.”
Commitment to Running
In running, the word commitment usually stands for a steadfast adherence to a training regimen, a consistent effort to improve performance, and, most of all, a willingness to define, prioritize and pursue running goals. It involves navigating through the ebb and flow of motivation. Ultimately, commitment in running is the epitome of “being in it for the long run”. Both, figuratively and literally speaking.
Or in short:
Q: “How much do you want it?”
A: “Yes.”
That’s commitment.
Fear, Risk, and Sacrifice
However, to commit not only means to continuously go out and run. It also means to be deeply involved with it. Emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. It means to be driven by a dream, a calling, an inner voice. When we commit, we are willing to take all the risk and to sacrifice all the safety and comfort. We are moving to another space. We enter the unknown. A potentially dangerous place. And that can be scary at times.
Self-Empowerment
On the credit side, commitment means self-empowerment. We might not feel it at the moment we sign up for a race or enter a new training cycle. That’s when we are too overwhelmed, too scared, too unsettled. But it does something with us. Once we commit, we see ourselves from a different plane. Others see us differently, too. We are in a space of strength, straightforwardness, and clarity. Even more, we are moving forward instead of standing still.
Higher Power
But we are not alone. When we commit, we are getting support by a higher power. No capital letters, my point is not a religious one. You can also call it “soul”, “destiny” or the “Self”, like I did in my book “Runhundred”.
In other words, the universe responds to our commitment, almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy. This higher power visits us on a rainy longrun in the dark and runs by our side for a while. It protects us and leads our way on that mountain ridge, when the weather is turning bad or even terrible. It soothes our pain and discomfort during the last 2 miles of a marathon. It whispers in our ears: “you can do it”, when we believe that the last repeat of our interval session is impossible to do.
This higher power is a strong ally, but it only reveals itself, once we truly commit.
Commitment in Practice
Are you still with me? Too spacy? Here are some practical approaches to the concept of commitment.
Commitment needs a time frame. A binding training schedule and the date of your A-race is all you need. But you will need it.
Commitment needs a place. If you are willing to do the work, you need to know where to do it.
Commitment needs rituals. Rituals, not habits. Trappings are important. They are parts of the greater whole. The more natural the trappings become, the easier it gets to do the work.
Commitment needs focus. You cannot half-assedly muddle through your running commitment. It needs your undivided attention, full focus and zero distractions. Saying “yes” to one thing, means saying “no” to countless others.
Commitment needs ambition. Only if your running goal or dream is big enough – so big, it scares the hell out of you – you will be fully committed.
Commitment needs no plan B. Something magical happens beyond the safety net. The more we expose ourselves to setbacks and failure, the more committed we become. After all, we have no choice. Once we are genuinely committed, there’s no turning back.
What’s your running commitment?
Everything not Running
The German translation of “Runhundred” is progressing well. I already translated 26 of the 54 book chapters and established a work routine that allows me to add 5-6 more chapters every week.
The word translating is a bit misleading, though. In fact, I have to rewrite the whole book. Don’t believe me? Try it yourself. Throw any English text into Google Translate, DeepL or Linguee. In the best case, the result sounds stilted and weird. In the worst case, it’s straight up BS and terribly wrong. If you are, on top, trying to implement your tone and style of writing, automatic translations are completely useless.
Yet, I am moving fast. That’s because the story is already told, the chapters are trimmed, the decision of what’s in the book and what not has been made. I am still very positive that a German version of “Runhundred” will be available sometime in 2024.
Are you interested in a German version of “Runhundred”? Which format?
Religion where receiving your race medal is communion. I kinda celebrate Christmas, but I'm mainly there for the snacks.
"Rituals, not habits" and "so, big it scares the hell out of you".... the whole post is great, but those points stand out to me as particularly effective/important. Thanks.