As told to Sinead Mulhern.
Being physically fit benefits life in so many ways after the day’s workout is said and done. I don’t take on tough sweat sessions just so that I can say I crushed my latest race or sets of intervals. Rather, I do it because when I’m in my best condition, it helps me in every other area of life: I bring my best self to work; I’m also a better partner, friend and family member when I take care of myself holistically.
This has been my way for my entire life. I’ve been involved in physical pursuits as far back as I can remember. Early in life, I was a dancer taking to the studios to try my talents in ballet, Irish and modern dance. My routine and sports of choice evolved from there. Today, I run, I’m a triathlete, I swim and if you suggest a cross-training activity, I’m usually in. The past 12 months in particular have led to me to a couple major breakthroughs: I ran my first half-Ironman in September and I ran my first marathon in Boston just this past April. (I didn’t have to run a qualifying race because I was selected to run on Kathrine Switzer’s 261 Fearless team.)
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For many of us, what starts out as a hobby, leads to a lifestyle. From there, that can even lead to a career. That’s what happened to me. I work for Reebok and have been with the company for the past five years. What can I say? It’s a fit. I dabbled in the world of Spartan races and endurance events and so to land a role with a company that boasts taking that multi-faceted approach to athletic life, basically meant that I had found my dream job. Not everyone gets to say that.
Working as a merchandiser at a brand like Reebok, you can pretty much assume that my colleagues take a similar approach to life as I do. If upon mention of the brand you’re thinking of either their iconic delta symbol or their catchy slogan “Be More Human,” I can say that that’s in line with with how work life at the brand’s Canadian headquarters operates too.
If you’re unfamiliar with these two concepts, “Be More Human” is a slogan meant to emphasize that the life of an athlete is about more than building muscle for show. It’s about conditioning the body to be better equipped to take on life’s challenges. Being in shape means you don’t have to take the back seat. As for the delta, the logo symbolizes physical, mental and social change. For me, being an all-round fit person is about including those aspects into your life.
Now with this said, it’s easy to understand then how the people who I work with day-to-day have also become gym partners and unofficial coaches. At least twice a week, I’m halting the work mid-day to undertake a workout during our lunch break.
Running in particular is a challenge– I think that’s the case for many people. When I signed on to run my first 42.2K this spring, you can imagine what I was up against. Do you remember training for your first marathon? I’m lucky to be surrounded by people who get the whole endurance sports thing, but even then I had to overcome struggles.
Because I do multiple forms of fitness (again, I think of that “Be more human” slogan), some come easy, while others require more work. My race was in April. I live in Toronto. That meant that the training block would be done in icy winds and snow. I enjoyed the training, the long runs and my workouts. The winter conditions, however, were a trial. There were many days when I just did not want to leave the cozy indoor temperatures.
There’s a lesson that I took from this though and it’s one that was pointed out to me by my partner during this marathon training block. He said: “No kidding it’s hard. You have to allow yourself to accept that it’s difficult.” That hit home.
He was right. Just accepting that it’s tough now allows me to push through. I’m not expecting it to be easy, therefore, I don’t get discouraged when it’s hard. I’m no longer waiting for running to be effortless all the time. When you acknowledge that it’s going to be a challenge, you get into a head space where you’re prepared to overcome that every single time. The workout and training plan becomes doable, because you’re determined to just get through it.
After that advice, I ran my first marathon and I loved the experience. I think that finishing that distance is what has inspired me to continue to push towards accomplishing my new fitness goals.
