Pace oneself

1. to avoid doing something too quickly or doing too much at one time, so that you have enough energy left to complete an activity ¹
2. to do something at a speed that is steady and that allows one to continue without becoming too tired ²

People always tell me that I look like a runner. I’m not 100% sure why. Some say it’s because of my physique, others say it’s the way I kick my legs out when I walk. All I know is that they are wrong.

I don’t run.

I could list many reasons why I don’t run, but honestly only one is important. I don’t know how to pace myself.

To be more precise, I know how to set a pace (not necessarily a good one) but lack the discipline to maintain it. Either it seems too slow, so I race ahead and burnout, or it feels too laborious and I give up. This struggle is not isolated to the context of running, and it is not unique to me.

The start of each year highlights how challenging it is for people to set and maintain a steady pace. About 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by mid-February. I can’t speak for others, but I find this to be because life happens and distractions come along, progress feels slow and/or motivation dies down.

As we roll into 2021, I have a few goals that I’d like to achieve, but in order to do so I need to learn to pace myself. So, I decided to note down a few key things to help me (and hopefully some of you) set a good pace and stick to it.

Stubbornness won’t sustain you

Just because I don’t run doesn’t mean I can’t. If my mum asked me to get up and join her on a 7km jog right now I could. We would set off and my dogged refusal to let myself be shown up by a woman over twice my age would propel me the entire journey. But if she came back to me the next day or in two days’ time and made the same request, would I take it?

No.

I would look at the woman as if she were crazy, and spend the next week lying in bed, in agony, regretting all my life choices. Why? Because I pushed myself too far too fast.

Don’t race to do too much too quickly. What’s the rush? Lasting habits and change take a while to establish. Usually, a lot more time than your initial motivation and stubbornness last. Consistency is key, so you need to develop a deeper understanding of why it is you want to achieve the goals and keep reminding yourself of it on the days when sheer willpower isn’t enough to get you out of bed. Positive reinforcements also help, like coupling the habit with something you like doing, so you know after you’ve done the hard work, you get to do something you enjoy.

Focus on the process

It’s that old cliche about the journey being more important than the destination. While the end goal should be in mind, your focus should be on the step that’s in front of you. What small change or action can I make today to be slightly better than I was yesterday. The small habits and routines might feel like they are not amounting to much in the moment, but over time, the marginal gains from the repeated actions cumulate into significant progress.

Rest is vital

Every athlete knows that rest is just as important as the workout, and this is true in life generally. Sleep is a good thing. Make it your friend. In the same way that small habits can amount to large achievements, the culmination of many days of sleep deprivation can significantly diminish your capacity to function well in all aspects of life. So, make sure you carve out time to rest and recharge.

The pace should be adjustable

Life happens. If 2020 taught us anything it was that during the course of a year many unexpected things can occur. Sometimes you gain free time, sometimes you have more on your plate. Thus, it’s important that you adjust your speed to a level that is manageable for your current situation. Yes, this may mean that it takes you slightly longer to reach your goal. But a slight delay is better than the disruption that can be caused by burnout and compromised mental and/or physical health.

So…

Pace yourself.

It’s one of the things I am learning to do this year. Also, I’ve taken up jogging. So, maybe when 2022 comes around I won’t just look like a runner, I will actually be one.