My Biggest Regret From My Running Career

And what you can do to avoid making the same mistake.

As I entered my formative years of high school, I had relatively great success as a runner- at the high school and professional level. In my junior year of high school, I won my first national title at Nike Cross Nationals. This win catapulted my career. In the six months that followed, I

• Competed in my first professional race at the Millrose Games, running 4:32 in the mile

• Ran a 1600m high school record and multiple state records

• Got invited to my first Diamond League, where I ran the second-fastest time an American Junior had run for the 1500m in 4:07.

• Competed at the Junior World Championships, placing 6th

  • Immediately after the race, I signed a professional contract with Nike, forgiving my collegiate eligibility (this was before NIL deals)

• In my senior year of high school, I competed at my second Diamond League meet, running an American Junior record of 4:03, which still stands today.

The 1500m I ran as a 17-year-old was the fastest I would ever run a 1500m. A few times, I got close but never ran faster in the 1500m. I went on to have a solid career- finishing 6th at the Olympic trials in 2016, finishing 5that the US Championships in 2017, and PRs of 2:00.95 in the 800m, 4:24 and 4:20 in the mile (track and road, respectively), and 8:53 in the 3000m.

So, what was the problem? What was the regret? Inherently, there was no problem. I was a standout high schooler, running times faster than professionals a decade older than me. However, like endeavors many high schoolers pursue (regardless of the sport or activity, it all came so easy. I was naïve, wasn’t overthinking how I was performing, what I was doing, or my approach to running, and I was just a kid trying to have a good time and maybe even get a college scholarship for it.

But as my career progressed, I still expected that same ease that came with every workout and race. I believed the seemingly effortless approach to workouts, discipline, determination, and unfaltering (resolute?) confidence would continue throughout my career. And what didn’t happen? The retrospective simple approach to running. My regret? How I approached this sudden and abrupt difficulty that I faced.

I questioned why running wasn’t as straightforward anymore. I didn’t feel my approach to running was any different – I was still just as focused and disciplined in and out of practice. I expected the results to come as easy as they always had.

In reflection, there were two aspects wrong with my approach:

1.     To believe that I would never go through challenges in my career was credulous. Even if I stayed injury-free throughout my career, every athlete still faces struggles. To compare our efforts to our high school selves is to discredit the experience and maturity that we have. Sometimes, the challenge is personal struggles that overflow into running. Sometimes, the challenge is changing approaches to mindset and periods of personal growth. Sometimes, the challenge is changing coaches and training philosophies and the learning curve that comes with it. Nevertheless, everyone’s athletic career gets difficult at some point.

2.     As I struggled, instead of embracing the difficulties and the challenges of my goals, I continued to want things to come easy. I thought I was making the personal growth I needed outside of the sport to have the same gains in my fitness. When running still didn’t come easy, I got frustrated and disappointed. Eventually, I did see some improvements (in workouts, races, and mindset). But for so long, I just wanted it to be easy. While this can be ok, especially when pursuing challenges in other aspects of your life, what’s memorable doesn’t come easy.

At times, I wish I could shake my 22-year-old self and say, “It’s not supposed to be easy!”. I was getting in my way. But at the same time, isn’t being able to reflect and grow from this realization perhaps just as impactful? Sometimes, it’s just as valuable to be mentally tough and resilient in workouts that aren’t going your way as the physiological and fitness gains you would get from hitting all your reps.

My advice: When running (or whichever sport is yours) gets difficult, it’s ok. Sometimes, take a step back and look at the bigger picture- what are you trying to accomplish, and how can it be simplified? But expecting it- the workouts, the efforts, the mindset- to come easy will make it 100x harder. It’s about mindset, it’s about embracing the difficult and uncomfortable, and it’s about the personal growth that comes with it all. Isn’t that what we all want anyway?

Please note: There will be instances when pushing through is not the answer- in injury, sickness, etc. Please listen to your body and coaches and know when it’s better to not push your body and mind- because sometimes it can make a situation worse.