Learning to accept things we can not control

Years ago I was preaching in a Revival Meeting for a church in Rockford, Illinois. I had worked with them a number of times before, so they knew how much I liked to ride. This time a thoughtful member had provided a horse that I could use whenever I had the time. He was a small horse but amazingly fast. He could go from a standing start to a laid out run in about three long jumps. They called him Ben Quick; and he lived up to his name. In some ways he was as wild as a jackrabbit; and he did love to run. The difficulty was that even though I was staying near the edge of town it was still congested enough that you had to do some maneuvering to go almost anywhere. Plus the horse was just flighty enough to give the impression that he would run straight through a fence or into the side of a building if you didn't give him just the right direction. Riding him was somewhat like driving a car on ice. You never felt completely in control. Almost half a lifetime has gone by since then; but I still have fond memories of Ben Quick and my experiences with him. They went from exhilarating to utterly frightening, depending largely on how much control I felt I had at the time.

Even today it reminds me of some of the experiences we have in racing. There are so many things over which we have but limited control. We already know about bad weather, lingering injuries and poorly marked courses. We call to mind congested starts, dismal trophies and shirts that we were almost ashamed to take home. We may choose to go or not to go back to a particular event; but we have no real control over them.

We don't have much control even over our own running. There are so many variables in things that can happen, so that it is extremely hard to know how we will be able to run on a given day. Sudden changes in temperature, humidity or wind all affect us. Outside things, which affect our rest or eating habits, have a bearing. Job conditions, family emergencies and unexpected company have their effect. There are just so many factors involved that we cannot possibly control them all.

Admittedly, runners would like to be in control. They would like to be; but they seldom are. We are just passengers on a train which we cannot steer. The question is, how do you react to the feeling of helplessness this sometimes gives you? How you react will have a definite effect upon your running. Let me offer some simple guidelines:

1. LEARN TO ACCEPT THINGS AS THEY ARE. Not as you want them to be but as they actually are. You can't change the temperature by a single degree. You have no say over the incline of the hills or the percentage of the humidity. BUT neither do other runners! Each of you just have to face them as they are on race day. Sweating the details will never give you a better race, while acceptance has a calming effect.

2. DETERMINE TO "GO WITH THE FLOW". It is not bad to struggle for things you can change. It makes no sense to get all upset about things you don't and can't control. The less you let these things upset you; the better off you will be on race day.

3. DON'T TRY TO DECIDE ON RACING CONDITIONS UNTIL RACE TIME. There was a time when I could hear it raining during the night and let it ruin my race; but I have learned how foolish that is. A number of times during the past year it was raining even when I left my house; but didn't rain at all during the race. If the race was several miles away, sometimes even the streets were dry there. In a matter of an hour or two almost everything you thought was going to happen on race day can change. Just wait until race time to know what it is like then.

4. DON'T LET MINOR THINGS INFLUENCE YOU TOO MUCH ANYWAY. You will find thrilling memories about being with a group under almost miserable circumstances. There is a wonderful excitement about going when others have been scared off (maybe by things which didn't even happen). You will remember those times more than some of your best races.

You will find your own Ben Quicks to ride. There will be lots of things in running that are not under your control. They do not have to destroy the fun you can have in the experience. In fact, if you can learn to accept them, they can be a downright joy!