Flusterations By Any Other Name

It is amazing how words change through the years. You can hardly find this word anymore. It has almost become archaic. The term now is "flusteration". Yet when I was growing up we didn't know what flusterations were. The New Collegiate Dictionary of 1975 doesn't even list the word. But we knew what it was to be flusterated. When everything seemed to be hitting the fan on the same day...when minor agitations inariably turned into major crisis...when everything seemed to be at cross purposes to what we had planned...the feeling was there. So names may change; but I can assure you that we have not lost the feeling. It hits us at the most inopportune times.

Sometimes we bring it on ourselves. maybe our expectations were too high. Maybe the tensions of other things that fluster may reveal more about us than they do about the events that have transpired. You may feel that way about the things that brings flusterations into my life in connection with running. Regardless, let me share some with you.

1. BRINGING DOGS TO AN ORGANIZED RACE. I consider myself to be a lover of dogs. I delight in seeing people bring them to the park (when they are well managed). I understand those who speak of their companionship on a long run. But I doubt the advisability of having them at any race that was not planned with them in mind. They get excited, just like people do; and one that is very well behaved under normal circumstances may go wild when surrounded by hundreds of shuffling, talking people. Furthermore, one on a lease is almost more dangerous under these circumstances than one running free. I am happy to say, of course, that we have seen some exceptions where they were not permitted to impede the runners at all; and we must commends their owners for that.

2. UNSUPERVISED KIDS WHO RUN LIKE CHICKENS. I hope we all delight in youth participation in our events; but why can't someone instruct them in where to run and how to run? Why must we have those who crowd to the front of the start line who are so poorly trained that they will not complete the first quarter mile without stopping (usually in the middle of the road)? Surely most of us have had the experience of being passed (even late in a race) by someone about waist high. That may be embarrassing; but it is not flusterating. They earn their trophies; and we are proud of them. We are speaking instead about running in straight lines, showing courtesy to other runners; and beginning at a pace that can be maintained for at least the first half mile. Lack of this is the source of Flusteration.

3. PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXCUSES FOR EVERTHING. Did you ever work hard to outrun a competitor only to have them say; "I've been sick", "I've been injured", "I wasn't trying today" or "I just did this one for training"? Now any one of these MAY be entirely legitimate; but does it happen every time??? And even if there is a reason, why should we take away the joy of their victory? Aren't there times when we just need to admit "I got beat today and I have no excuse"? It is not just a matter of being honest with others; but more important to your running is being honest with yourself. Good running demands that! Few things will hurt your own training more than giving yourself a way out for every time you run poorly. Remember: you will always learn more from your failures than from your victories.

BUT AFTER ALL THAT, HERE IS THE MESSAGE

1. Many of the things that cause you flusteration, cause the same for me and other runners. We are all in the same boat together; and things do not always go right at our races. Soe we share many common concerns.

2. Sometimes we cause our own flusterations. We allow molehills to become mountains. Sometimes we allow little insignificant things to upset us. We need, therefore, to be able to determine whether the thing in question really deserves the attention we are giving it.

3. AND MOST IMPORTANT. Be careful about your flusterations. Then can blow a race for you. If possible, determine to work quietly at another time to improve the thing that bothers you. Just don't let it hold your attention on race day. Being agitated and running well are not very compatable. Lay aside you flusterations if you want to have a good race. Let's just have a great time together. Don't let anything that others do, or fail to do, steal from you the pure joy of running