WEBVTT 00:00:23.579 --> 00:00:27.379 Welcome to Not Another Run Podcast. I'm your 00:00:27.379 --> 00:00:30.629 host, Line 6. Today, we're talking commitment, 00:00:30.850 --> 00:00:34.469 showing up under stress and bad weather and without 00:00:34.469 --> 00:00:37.710 motivation because quitting isn't an option. 00:00:38.490 --> 00:00:42.009 Before we get into today's episode, I would like 00:00:42.009 --> 00:00:44.310 to share a couple of stories from fellow runners, 00:00:44.509 --> 00:00:47.369 real moments that show what commitment actually 00:00:47.369 --> 00:00:51.250 looks like. Our first story comes from Trent. 00:00:51.850 --> 00:00:54.829 I was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and grew 00:00:54.829 --> 00:00:58.179 up in a toxic environment in my teens. My family 00:00:58.179 --> 00:01:00.759 moved to Florida. I spent the majority of my 00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:04.719 early years riding freestyle BMX. It was a good 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:07.939 distraction from the turmoil at home. At 15, 00:01:08.040 --> 00:01:11.239 I ran away from home and began hitchhiking around 00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:14.840 the country. I didn't have a plan, just a need 00:01:14.840 --> 00:01:17.819 to escape. Along the way, drugs became a part 00:01:17.819 --> 00:01:21.879 of my story. Countless arrests, psychiatric centers, 00:01:22.060 --> 00:01:24.980 and hospital visits. Eventually, the road carried 00:01:24.980 --> 00:01:28.180 me to Manhattan, New York. Between the ages of 00:01:28.180 --> 00:01:31.840 23 and 25, I cycled through a few inpatient treatment 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:35.219 facilities for substance abuse, most of which 00:01:35.219 --> 00:01:37.760 I left early. The final treatment center was 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:41.099 the one that stuck. I've now been abstinent from 00:01:41.099 --> 00:01:44.000 all mood and mind -altering substances for 15 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:48.739 years. During the last treatment stay, there 00:01:48.739 --> 00:01:51.540 was a guitar in the treadmill that I used and 00:01:51.540 --> 00:01:54.780 became instantly hooked, learning both simultaneously. 00:01:55.950 --> 00:01:58.849 Running for me is more than an exercise, and 00:01:58.849 --> 00:02:02.409 playing guitar was more than a hobby. They were 00:02:02.409 --> 00:02:06.109 and still are means of survival. After treatment, 00:02:06.370 --> 00:02:10.669 I spent a few more years renting rooms and bumming 00:02:10.669 --> 00:02:14.110 around Manhattan, working several dead -end jobs 00:02:14.110 --> 00:02:17.349 before returning to life on the road, mostly 00:02:17.349 --> 00:02:20.169 freight hopping, all while maintaining my sobriety, 00:02:20.210 --> 00:02:23.930 running when I could, and playing my punk songs. 00:02:24.539 --> 00:02:28.659 on nearly every main street throughout North 00:02:28.659 --> 00:02:33.159 America. I settled in La Grande, Oregon in 2021, 00:02:33.580 --> 00:02:37.759 where at the age of 35, I secured my first apartment. 00:02:38.099 --> 00:02:41.120 I worked diligently and earned my certification 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:45.639 as an alcohol and drug counselor, a role I've 00:02:45.639 --> 00:02:49.680 been working in for the last four years. Running 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:51.939 has never been about distance or pace for me. 00:02:52.490 --> 00:02:55.110 The goal has always been to escape the constant 00:02:55.110 --> 00:02:58.810 noise inside my mind. When I run, I feel free. 00:02:59.430 --> 00:03:03.110 There is no problem I cannot tackle. When I am 00:03:03.110 --> 00:03:06.069 physically able to run consistently, I will run 00:03:06.069 --> 00:03:08.629 until I cannot run anymore. And that's always 00:03:08.629 --> 00:03:12.189 been enough for me. Lately, my energy has shifted 00:03:12.189 --> 00:03:15.909 inward. I've been slowly building a new music 00:03:15.909 --> 00:03:19.750 production studio in my apartment. Carving out 00:03:19.750 --> 00:03:23.860 space when I can. Return to music with good lasting 00:03:23.860 --> 00:03:27.199 intentions. I plan on spending the foreseeable 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:30.240 months tracking and mixing old songs alongside 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:34.919 new songs. I am writing that are still fading 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:39.120 and that are still finding their shape. Since 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:43.259 June 2025, I have not been able to run. A BMX 00:03:43.259 --> 00:03:46.560 related calf rupture took me out abruptly and 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:50.740 has turned into a long. into the most long, difficult 00:03:50.740 --> 00:03:54.020 injury of my life. It's been humbling. Losing 00:03:54.020 --> 00:03:57.520 running meant losing my biggest outlet. The universe 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:00.479 forced me to adapt in ways I did not see coming. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.460 I broke down and got a gym membership, resigning 00:04:04.460 --> 00:04:08.819 to the elliptical, a less or more undesirable 00:04:08.819 --> 00:04:13.280 form of cardio. It obviously helps, but it's 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:17.600 not the same. It does not quiet my mind like 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:21.300 running. but it is now part of my daily routine. 00:04:21.740 --> 00:04:24.980 I personally find the elliptical to be the second 00:04:24.980 --> 00:04:28.180 best form of cardio, so I'll be rolling with 00:04:28.180 --> 00:04:32.079 it for now. I see a physical therapist twice 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.680 a week. Patience does not come naturally for 00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:37.319 me, and this recovery process is an extremely 00:04:37.319 --> 00:04:40.660 slow route back to running, which is now the 00:04:40.660 --> 00:04:43.459 main goal. The only way through it is through 00:04:43.459 --> 00:04:46.759 it, right? For now, I just continue to show up. 00:04:47.019 --> 00:04:49.459 I refuse to let this new reality break my will. 00:04:49.980 --> 00:04:53.339 I hope this helps somebody out there. Thank you, 00:04:53.339 --> 00:04:55.300 Trent, for trusting this community with your 00:04:55.300 --> 00:04:58.660 story. I really appreciate it, my man. Your resilience, 00:04:58.819 --> 00:05:00.939 your recovery, and your willingness to keep going 00:05:00.939 --> 00:05:03.819 is an inspiration to not only myself, but others. 00:05:04.139 --> 00:05:06.800 Your story reminds people that healing is possible 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:09.980 and that simply showing up and not giving up 00:05:09.980 --> 00:05:13.500 can be enough. Our next story comes from Dave. 00:05:14.620 --> 00:05:18.019 Howdy, I'm a middle -aged guy who lives in Brooklyn, 00:05:18.220 --> 00:05:20.879 New York. My running journey essentially started 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:26.139 with the 2014 NYC Half Marathon. Being my first 00:05:26.139 --> 00:05:29.500 race in the first half marathon and the furthest 00:05:29.500 --> 00:05:32.860 distance I had ran at that point, I did a few 00:05:32.860 --> 00:05:35.959 more New York Roadrunner races, moving from half 00:05:35.959 --> 00:05:41.519 marathon to the NYC Full Marathon in 2018, which 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:47.399 went horribly. I had no idea how to run or train 00:05:47.399 --> 00:05:51.279 for a marathon. I joined a running club. I learned 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:54.839 how to train, what to eat, and drink on the course, 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:58.500 essentially to avoid dying. Currently, I have 00:05:58.500 --> 00:06:02.139 done 23 marathons and have been focusing upon 00:06:02.139 --> 00:06:06.920 ultras lately. With my first 100 -mile race this 00:06:06.920 --> 00:06:11.670 summer, my goal is simply to get better. faster 00:06:11.670 --> 00:06:13.970 in road races, stronger and faster in ultras, 00:06:14.149 --> 00:06:19.170 to time qualify for road races, to complete some 00:06:19.170 --> 00:06:23.050 of the most challenging ultra courses, and to 00:06:23.050 --> 00:06:26.490 travel the world competing. Other activities 00:06:26.490 --> 00:06:30.449 I love, biking, but do not have much opportunity 00:06:30.449 --> 00:06:33.290 to do so, especially when in full running training 00:06:33.290 --> 00:06:37.949 mode. I'm a pilot and love flying. recreationally 00:06:37.949 --> 00:06:41.009 selling basically all of the hobbies which are 00:06:41.009 --> 00:06:44.790 expensive thank you dave for sharing your story 00:06:44.790 --> 00:06:48.569 i'm sure that many runners in the community have 00:06:48.569 --> 00:06:51.209 the same experiences as you as far as not being 00:06:51.209 --> 00:06:53.629 able to participate in their hobbies because 00:06:53.629 --> 00:06:56.829 let's be honest here running takes up so much 00:06:56.829 --> 00:07:00.329 of your time everybody's like ah i can't wait 00:07:00.329 --> 00:07:03.930 for the weekend Nah, player, the weekend is long 00:07:03.930 --> 00:07:07.069 run time. So definitely understand where you're 00:07:07.069 --> 00:07:10.250 coming from from that standpoint. Also, good 00:07:10.250 --> 00:07:13.310 luck on that 100 mile race. I recently tried 00:07:13.310 --> 00:07:16.610 to get down with 100 miles and let me put it 00:07:16.610 --> 00:07:19.709 to you like this. I had to tap out. So good luck 00:07:19.709 --> 00:07:21.990 and I look forward to hearing how that 100 mile 00:07:21.990 --> 00:07:25.740 race goes for you. So with that in mind, I want 00:07:25.740 --> 00:07:28.500 to shift into today's episode because at the 00:07:28.500 --> 00:07:31.120 core of every one of these stories is a single 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:35.319 word, commitment. Not motivation, but commitment. 00:07:36.920 --> 00:07:42.319 So yesterday, I had a long run. I woke up and 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:45.420 the temperature showed 21 degrees Fahrenheit. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:48.680 That's negative six degrees Celsius for those 00:07:48.680 --> 00:07:52.800 who use that metric. Anyhow, I said at the end 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:57.589 of my bed, for 30 plus minutes negotiating with 00:07:57.589 --> 00:08:00.709 that voice in my head telling me, oh, it's okay 00:08:00.709 --> 00:08:03.589 not to go out there and do your run. If you go 00:08:03.589 --> 00:08:05.910 out there, you might slip on ice. You go out 00:08:05.910 --> 00:08:09.589 there, you might get sick. All those excuses 00:08:09.589 --> 00:08:13.910 that we all make so we can be satisfied with 00:08:13.910 --> 00:08:16.430 ourselves when we decide not to do something. 00:08:17.490 --> 00:08:20.649 Well, that's just not the cloth I'm cut from. 00:08:21.550 --> 00:08:24.110 And the reason being isn't because I'm some tough 00:08:24.110 --> 00:08:29.029 guy or I'm some mentally tough individual. No, 00:08:29.069 --> 00:08:33.330 it's because anytime I have a goal, the first 00:08:33.330 --> 00:08:36.769 thing I do is I write that check. After I write 00:08:36.769 --> 00:08:39.629 that check, I go and show it to my wife and son, 00:08:39.769 --> 00:08:44.210 tell them what it is that I'm trying to do. The 00:08:44.210 --> 00:08:47.210 reason being is because those are two people 00:08:47.210 --> 00:08:51.360 that I do not want to let down. especially my 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:54.840 son, just for a simple fact that growing up, 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:59.220 my dad wasn't someone that I looked up to and 00:08:59.220 --> 00:09:02.519 wasn't someone I was proud of. Me, I've always 00:09:02.519 --> 00:09:05.320 been in athletics and stuff, and that's just 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:08.139 not something that my dad was into. So he wasn't 00:09:08.139 --> 00:09:11.679 someone that I looked up to. I spent the majority 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:15.419 of my time looking up to Michael Jordan and Bruce 00:09:15.419 --> 00:09:19.559 Lee. When I became a father, I made a promise 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:23.700 to myself that I will be a man that my son could 00:09:23.700 --> 00:09:27.419 be proud of. And for me, that's leading by example. 00:09:28.779 --> 00:09:31.100 Following through on what you say you're going 00:09:31.100 --> 00:09:35.320 to do. Each year, millions of people around the 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:40.039 world set New Year's resolutions. And I say 95 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:45.259 % of those goals go untouched. What happens is... 00:09:45.870 --> 00:09:49.490 They set a goal. I'm going to get a six pack. 00:09:50.149 --> 00:09:52.169 And they've been sitting there watching all these 00:09:52.169 --> 00:09:55.370 TV ads and stuff and they're thinking that lady 00:09:55.370 --> 00:09:58.710 or that guy, they simply went to the gym and 00:09:58.710 --> 00:10:02.029 used that machine and they woke up with a six 00:10:02.029 --> 00:10:06.009 pack. And then when they see that it doesn't 00:10:06.009 --> 00:10:12.110 work like that, they give up. Instead of starting 00:10:12.110 --> 00:10:16.700 habits, don't say, I'm going to go to the gym 00:10:16.700 --> 00:10:20.419 to get a six pack. Say, I'm going to go to the 00:10:20.419 --> 00:10:23.600 gym to be healthy. You got to have small steps 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:28.360 to get to the big picture. So if you're someone 00:10:28.360 --> 00:10:30.879 that's never worked out or never been to a gym, 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:33.740 say, I'm going to commit to going to the gym 00:10:33.740 --> 00:10:37.620 three times a week this year. Once you get three 00:10:37.620 --> 00:10:40.600 times a week, it becomes a habit. That three 00:10:40.600 --> 00:10:43.320 times a week then turns into four. which then 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:46.279 turns into five, which then turns into six. And 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:49.639 by then, you're completely addicted. And by the 00:10:49.639 --> 00:10:51.659 time you're addicted, you're going to look in 00:10:51.659 --> 00:10:53.179 that mirror and you're going to see a completely 00:10:53.179 --> 00:10:57.840 different person. But the problem is, we as a 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:03.139 society have decided that it has to happen right 00:11:03.139 --> 00:11:06.519 then, right now. You know, the convenience. I 00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:08.240 don't know if you've ever saw that movie WALL 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:10.620 -E, where you got all these people just laying 00:11:10.620 --> 00:11:13.299 on their back and and everything's being brought 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:16.440 to them and everything's so convenient. It's 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:18.419 kind of similar to what we got going on now with 00:11:18.419 --> 00:11:22.220 Amazon. I swear, I don't even like to go to the 00:11:22.220 --> 00:11:25.899 store no more, man. Like, I think it's something 00:11:25.899 --> 00:11:28.759 I want. First thing I do is grab my phone and 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:30.840 look and see if it's on Amazon and then order 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:33.759 it because I got Prime and then I get it the 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:36.559 next day most of the time. So it's pretty convenient. 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:41.220 But the point I'm making here is All of this 00:11:41.220 --> 00:11:46.080 convenience is making us lazy and weak. I don't 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:49.240 care who you are. If you use these things, myself 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:53.059 included, you're becoming lazier and weaker. 00:11:53.840 --> 00:12:01.259 So tie in this culture of convenience and the 00:12:01.259 --> 00:12:05.139 fear of going for something and failing, and 00:12:05.139 --> 00:12:09.279 we find ourselves in this hamster wheel. spinning, 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:14.279 going nowhere fast. I, myself, last year set 00:12:14.279 --> 00:12:18.100 three goals. And guess what? I was batting 0 00:12:18.100 --> 00:12:22.259 for 3 last year. Yes, it definitely hurt because 00:12:22.259 --> 00:12:26.179 I knew in my heart that I did everything that 00:12:26.179 --> 00:12:30.639 I possibly could to reach those goals. But this 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:35.059 is the thing. Failure, without failure, there 00:12:35.059 --> 00:12:38.559 is no such thing as success. And I truly feel 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:42.759 like failure is a person's greatest stepping 00:12:42.759 --> 00:12:47.799 stones. Yes, it sucks to fail. And yes, it hurts 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:51.860 your ego. But that's no reason to quit or run 00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:55.919 from it. If anything, use failure as the roadmap 00:12:55.919 --> 00:13:00.320 to your success. There's just no reason to ever 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:04.159 give up on yourself. And another thing is, don't 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:07.500 make excuses. If you fail, It doesn't matter 00:13:07.500 --> 00:13:10.960 why. You don't need to go telling everybody and 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:15.259 they mama that, oh, the weather was bad, so I 00:13:15.259 --> 00:13:19.120 failed to do this. Or, oh, I had a cramp at mile 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:23.139 19, so I couldn't. That's all irrelevant. You 00:13:23.139 --> 00:13:26.940 keep those to yourself. The reason why and the 00:13:26.940 --> 00:13:29.980 excuses just doesn't matter. What matters is 00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:32.580 you stay committed. You keep the promises that 00:13:32.580 --> 00:13:36.470 you made to yourself. It's okay to fail. Everybody 00:13:36.470 --> 00:13:38.850 fails at something. That's just the way the cookie 00:13:38.850 --> 00:13:43.789 crumbles. But what's not okay is giving in and 00:13:43.789 --> 00:13:48.629 quitting or finding reasons not to show up. The 00:13:48.629 --> 00:13:50.830 bigger the dream, the bigger the commitment has 00:13:50.830 --> 00:13:54.049 to be to make the dream a reality. So we have 00:13:54.049 --> 00:13:57.129 two choices here. Stay in our comfort zone and 00:13:57.129 --> 00:14:00.809 just exist or step outside our comfort zone and 00:14:00.809 --> 00:14:05.179 thrive to be great. Understand this. No two people's 00:14:05.179 --> 00:14:08.340 great should or has to be the same. Great for 00:14:08.340 --> 00:14:11.580 you could be to quit smoking, and great for the 00:14:11.580 --> 00:14:14.340 next person could be to run a four -minute mile. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:18.240 What's important is doing any and everything 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:22.159 we can to reach our version of great. Thanks 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:24.700 so much for listening. If this episode gave you 00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:27.080 even a small push forward, then it did its job. 00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:30.120 Keep going, keep committing to what matters to 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:32.159 you, and I'll be back with you soon.