Something about an out and back course makes me cringe.
Whether it's a hike or a run, if I see it's an out and back, I'm immediately turned off. I want to see something new, not the same thing twice but backwards.
My first event this year was an out and back. Why did I choose it? Well, it was local, it was cheap, there was a 5k and a 10k option, and it fit my schedule. The out and back was a strike against, but since I had friends doing it with me, I figured I would survive.
I've actually done a couple of other out and back events this year, and there is one more thing to consider. If you're competing and the course doubles back, you have to see other people who already made it out to the turnaround point and are heading back to the finish. For some, this might be challenging. For a "back of the pack" competitor like me, you get to see MANY people who are WAY ahead of you. Maybe if I cared about my finish time or placement it would get in my head. But for a person who thrives on cheerleading, I take the constant reminder of how many people are ahead of me and flip it into an opportunity.
I cheer for EVERY SINGLE PERSON ahead of me. From the teen cross country star who is flying along to PR or win to some of the older folks who are pushing along to the inevitable 8 year old who is gangly and gasping but waxing the floor with me nonetheless, I wave, I clap, I yell, I encourage. At the absolute least, I smile. It's the very best part of an out and back race. I am very aware that I running all these races is not a "have to." I get to come to the start line. I get to move through the miles. I get to challenge myself. And, I get to see others who are challenging themselves.
So, even if a course is boring or repetitive, it's another chance to reframe your mind and refresh your perspective. You may even find ways this happens to you at work or in your home life. You may be the smile and encouragement someone needs today.
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