It’s that time again: the holidays are over and a new year has begun. Everyone is formulating plans and setting goals because this year is going to be THE year. New Year’s resolutions are great to set, but when it comes to keeping them, many lose their January 1 enthusiasm. A survey conducted by the University of Scranton shows that of the 45% of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions, only about 8% fully achieve what they set out to do. But don’t let these statistics disappoint you. Look instead at the stories behind the statistics. Marlborough High School Guidance Counselor Erika Bailey is living proof that it is not impossible to set and keep far-reaching goals. Although not done because of a New Year’s Resolution, Ms. Bailey ran the Boston Marathon in 2015, her first marathon. Ms. Bailey had not always been a long-distance runner. She competed in track in high school, but was always a sprinter. She found her love of long distance running later in life through a group of runner friends. “For me,” Ms. Bailey says, “running is how I stay grounded. It’s uninterrupted time just to think. No matter what else is going on in my life, I always get my answers when I run.” She enjoys the individual nature of the sport because “it’s just you against yourself.” Ms. Bailey ran her first half-marathon in Oct. 2014. When she crossed the finish line, she wanted more. “I wanted Boston,” she said. After the atrocities of the 2013 Boston Marathon, she realized how much people take their freedom for granted. “I don’t like it when someone’s freedom is taken away. People don’t know what they’re capable of, and no one should deny them the opportunity to reach their potential.” Because she had never run a marathon before signing up for Boston, Ms. Bailey couldn’t run unless she joined a charity team. She was denied by three separate teams for not having any previous marathon experience. “But my charity found me on Christmas Eve,” Bailey said, tears in her eyes. The charity she ran for, Technology for Autism Now, provides educational technology for children with learning disabilities. The cause was very close to her heart, being a guidance counselor, but she would have to train on her own. “That just fueled the fire for me even more,” she said. In order to prepare for the marathon, Ms. Bailey ran four days a week and cross-trained one day a week, with long runs on the weekends. Training for the marathon on top of a busy job and taking care of her son was made even more difficult by the arrival of “Snowmeggedon” in February. “I hate the treadmill,” Bailey said, “so I did all my runs except two outside even if it was in the negatives.” But training for her 26.2 was tough, even before the snow. One of the most vital parts of her training was taking rest days and listening to her body. Marathons are also mentally challenging to train for. Bailey thought about each run in three mile chunks to make the distances more bearable. She also listened to music and played mind games. “Anything to make it fun!” she said. Running a marathon is obviously not a goal everyone wants to achieve, but the thought process surrounding it is the same that goes into setting any long-term goal. Ms. Bailey’s number one piece of advice is to “never compare yourself. It’s just not fair to yourself. No two people are the same. Achieving a goal is about being the best version of you.” She noticed throughout her training, as she heard stories from other runners among the MHS faculty, that the people who enjoy running the most and finish races healthfully are not those who worry about time or speed, but those who do it because they enjoy it. And a close second piece of advice is to have patience: “the good stuff takes time,” Ms. Bailey says. By: Jennie O’Leary -Staff Writer Photo from Ms. Bailey |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2019
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