Try To Avoid The Comparison Game And Instead Shift Focus

Jessica Stratton - Old Saybrook (CT) High School, Class of 2019

University of Delaware, sophomore

I used to think that my performance was based heavily upon what I looked like. I used to think that I had to look like the idealized runner's body -- one that was thin and lean with cut muscles -- in order to be good at running.

I know so many runners, both at the high school and collegiate level, who to some degree experience the pressure to conform to this body type. In a sport that requires such precision in the way we take care of our bodies, it is hard not to focus on what we look like and what we eat, and exactly how that will affect our performance. 

When I learned that being motivated by an external appearance was extremely unsustainable -- and is not actually what makes you good at the sport -- I began to realize that it was completely draining my energy.  Hyper-focusing on what I looked like and what the results of my race would be was in no way making me a better runner.

It was utilizing extra energy that could have been going into my training. It was causing me to eat food in order to look a certain way rather than to be fueled. And it was causing me to play an intense game of comparison to my teammates and peers on social media that I thought were better than me. This turned into an obsession with looking like them in order to be a better runner. 

Photo Credit: USA Today Sports

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So how can we shift our focus from these external factors to hone in on what really matters, which is what we believe internally? The first step is recognizing that you are unique, and your needs are different than every single one of your teammates and role models.

If you try to do exactly what somebody else is doing, it is likely that you are neglecting what your own body needs of you. You will get the best out of yourself when you are strong and feel good. It has nothing to do with looks -- I learned that the hard way.  In order to push our bodies to their limits, we do not need to feed our bodies to look a certain way; we need to sufficiently fuel our bodies to perform. Recognizing what we need in order to be properly energized is extremely empowering, and will take you to new heights in your training and racing. 

Female In Focus Series: 

All that being said, it can be extremely hard to cultivate the confidence to listen to your body and give it what it needs if it means it's not the same as the best person on your team, or that your body does not exactly fit the falsely projected mold of a successful distance runner. But here's what I will tell you, and it is something that you have likely heard countless times but it is more important than anything else.

Running. Is. So. Mental. 

When it really comes down to it, it's all about whether you believe, wholeheartedly, in what you do and how far that can take you. I will tell you right now that your body is capable of much more than you think, if you simply believe that it is. This can be a tough concept to wrap your head around at first, but if you realize that NOT believing in yourself because of what you look like, puts an enormous limitation on what you are capable of accomplishing, you will realize that a few extra pounds or a body that does not look ideal to you is much less debilitating than believing your body 'can't.'  

If you think that you can't run a certain time because you aren't thin enough, or don't look strong enough, you won't, because you didn't believe you could, not because your physical body wasn't capable. 

All that being said, it can be extremely hard to cultivate the confidence to listen to your body and give it what it needs if it means it's not the same as the best person on your team, or that your body does not exactly fit the falsely projected mold of a successful distance runner. But here's what I will tell you, and it is something that you have likely heard countless times but it is more important than anything else. Running. Is. So. Mental. 

Over the past year, my body has changed significantly. Prioritizing my health has led to many healthy changes in my body, including gaining 20 pounds and looking like a healthy, strong woman. At first this was extremely difficult for me, because I thought that gaining weight and giving my body what it needed in order to be properly fueled and produce a period was going to make me slower.

But with the help of mentors, coaches and teammates, I shifted that perspective and I now believe that I am stronger than ever. While it may take some time and patience, I know that my body now has the strength and energy to perform at a much higher level than I ever could before. I might have been thinner a year ago, but I was in a place that was completely unsustainable, both physically and mentally. I wholeheartedly believe that if I put the work in and I believe in myself, that is all I need to not only get the best out of myself but have a mental edge over my competitors who are doubting themselves in the slightest. 

Overall, what I want all young and developing female runners to take away from reading this column is this: The way you look does NOT correlate with your performance, and believing in your body without any limitations is the key to success.

There is a huge power in naively believing that you can accomplish something you set out to do, and what you look like absolutely does not matter.  With hard work and confidence in what YOU need to be your best, you can do much more than you think you can. 

Jessica is a 2019 graduate of Old Saybrook (CT) High School and a sophomore at the University of Delaware. She was a multiple-time CIAC State Open and CIAC Class Class S Championship qualifier and placer, and held PRs of 2:22.78 in the 800m and 5:07.42 in the 1,600m. This is the beginning of a monthly series where Jessica writes about important and wide-ranging subjects involving young and developing runners. 

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