EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Sometimes, life's metaphors can be simple (even when they require great effort). Join me today as I talk about one of the greatest advantages I learned from ‘runnin' up that hill.’

Episode theme song credits: ‘Running In the Dark’ by Oliver Michael

TRANSCRIPT

Hey, welcome back.

I'm in a better mood today. I was super tired yesterday, plus that documentary just kind of wigged me out. Ugh—don’t get me started.

More on that. And by the way, I did put the link to that trailer and the documentary itself in the Show Notes of yesterday's episode. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, go back and take a listen.

Okay, so today I'm going to talk about—well, you read the title, ‘Runnin’ Up That Hill.’ 

And I know what's going through everybody's mind. 

My morning walks, which I do every day for an hour and a half, have recently transitioned into more walk/runs. I run up any hill in my path now. I used to be a big, big runner. I loved, I still love running, but my knees get a little pissy if I overdo it.

So I'm getting in a little bit of an anaerobic workout throughout my walks because I really go hard up these hills. And today as I was running up a hill to hit Travis Heights Boulevard, I started laughing because of Kate Bush's song that I alluded to just a second ago, of which we're all slightly sick of hearing ad nauseum from the last season of Stranger Things. 

Well, it started blaring through my mind and it made me laugh because I love Kate Bush. I have since I discovered her just after college, and I've always loved that song. So as I'm running up this hill, I start laughing and I remember (which is one of the reasons I'm running hills) my cross-country coach in high school.

He talked about how one of the greatest ways to gain an advantage over a competitor (and he is talking about running, but I think we should apply this to life as well). One of the greatest advantages over a competitor is to actually tackle the hills. Like just hit 'em hard, right? Tackle a hill as if it's a straightaway and just sprint the shit out of it.

So I do this and as a result of that early conditioning, I actually love hills. I really love to run hills. Now it's kind of sickening to most people that this is the case, but I really, really do love them. 

So I get excited instead of dreading and approaching hill. I see it in the distance and I'm all, yeah, bring it.

And again, I can thank Coach Bates for this. Coach, thank you for my love of running hills. A

So anyway, my takeaway is to run the hill. Even blare that song in your AirPods if you have to. But find a way to get up that hill because I'm going to tell you something. 

Being able to tackle hills even and maybe especially metaphorically, ripples out to the rest of your life.

I really believe that because I was coached by a pioneer in the world of manifesting—that upon that which you focus, you can bring about. 

Now, Shakti Gaiwan had already written her book back at the time when Coach Bates was teaching us all this. But as far as a coach goes, he was one of the early adopters of visualizing what you want, visualizing how you're going to feel in your body as you're running, visualize, and tackling that hill and overcoming it.

And one of the things he reminded us—you don't just get to the top of that hill and slow down. You keep that same momentum. You've pushed up that entire hill, and you're about to throw your guts up and your legs feel like rubber. Don't stop! You gave it all that to slow down at the top? You just keep running as if you're not yet to the top, and this is where your advantage comes.

Now listen, anybody can tackle a hill, but those who have the gusto at the top of that hill to keep that same pace, the same pace you fought that hill with. Not a lot of people have that, and if you can do that, I guarantee you, even outside the physical realm of fitness or physical challenge, you will be able to overcome anything.

You'll be able to get over that hill and not only over it, but keep your momentum and keep on going and just enjoy the run. It's really kind of beautiful. That's the same thing in life. 

When I was in an organization, to which I alluded already as well, I don't like to stay focused on that.. but we had a run that we would do in our instructor training and we would go up Commitment Hill.

That was a bitch of a hill because we had just run this property that wasn't the easiest of runs. And so most people wanted to give up, but what we did is we shifted it in our mind that if we could make it up this hill, we could keep our commitments or we could reach a goal or we could, you know, all those things.

But I'm saying it doesn't matter if it's Commitment Hill, it doesn't matter if it's a long, treacherous, you-think-you’re-gonna-die hill? It doesn't. 

Oh, and don't forget when you are running up those hills, use your arms, pump 'em, and don't cross your midsection. That's another secret trick to becoming the optimal hill runner.

Or for you crazy warrior CrossFit types, you'll become an optimal hill tackler, a hill warrior. 

Seriously. 

Okay, there you have it. 

Tackle the hill. Sprint your guts out. Use your arms and pump like a cheetah is chasing you. Don't slow down at the top of the hill. Keep your momentum and…

watch how far it takes you. Seriously. Watch how far it takes you in your run, and watch how far it takes you in life. 

So there you go. 

See you tomorrow.

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The podcast is hosted, produced, and edited by Jenée Arthur.
Cover art by Jenée Arthur
The songs used in the individual episodes have been licensed for use.