What I Learn From My Thousand Mile Failures

I set the goal of running 1,000 miles for several years. I joined a club on Facebook committed to running 1,000 miles. I set a training plan in place to achieve that goal each time. I followed the plan in several month spurts each time. I have fallen far short each time. Right now, this year’s 1,000 mile goal is within my grasp. It seems important to take stock. I know that some of my biggest lessons have come from running. As worn out as it might sound, some of my biggest lessons have also come from failure. I believe that to be true with my entire heart.

Questions from my 1,000 Mile Failures

How far is 1000 Miles? Really?

1000 miles is a long way. I am not sure I truly grasped the magnitude of the distance when we signed up for the group. I remember seeing pictures of really fit people who have been in the club for years, but did not connect the dots that they actually got fit by actually running 1,000 miles. At first, the miles ticked by quickly. Then travel happened. Then sickness happened. Then hot weather happened. Then more travel happened. Then more sickness happened. Progress toward 1000 miles slowed. Inertia built. The realization the actual goal was unattainable built more inertia. That is the thing about big goals — it takes a certain amount of audacity, ignorance, consistent effort, hard headedness, and a long-game perspective to actually achieve them.

Can goals be test driven?

The 1,000 mile goal felt like I was test driving a car before buying it. I was test driving a running lifestyle. I was test driving how my body might feel if running became a part of my regular routine. I was test driving how much I could eat and drink (and not gain weight) while maintaining a running lifestyle. I believe goals can be test driven to see if the desired outcome can be achieved. A test drive can strengthen body and mind for the achievement of the goal in the future. A test drive can teach the values of strength, persistence and pace, and clarify the depth of the desire to achieve the goal to begin with. A test drive can determine if the goal is really want you want to do.

Is it really better to try and fail than to never try at all?

Yes. It is better to try and fail than to never try at all. It is even better to try and fail, and try and fail, and try and fail many times than to never try at all. Each failure provides insight into ourselves. Each failure moves us from being stuck. Each failure can be viewed as a hot cold test in which we are given the opportunity to move from cold/failure toward hot/success at each decision point. Change is constant and inevitable. I view trying as a way to take the wheel and drive the change bus to where I want to go.

How many times is too many times to fail?

There are never too many times to fail. The trick is to allow failure to make you mindful, wise, humble, determined, clever, inquisitive, imaginative, focused, flexible, and all the other things life tends to want to teach us. Each failure can bring light if we don’t focus on darkness. Each failure can bring hope if we don’t lose our way in despair. Each failure can bring us closer to where we want to be if we trust in the place in our hearts that knows after we burn we rise. Eight hundred fires. Eight hundred tries.