What Wet Shoes Taught Me About Life
I went on a run today. I always get ideas when I run.
A month and a half ago, I moved to New York City. I’ve been going to different events, meeting new people, and finding my way around. I got notified of a run group and thought I’d check it out.
At an attempt to calm my anxiety, I slipped an eye at the people signed up. It was linked to Strava, a new, hip community for fitness. I made an account and saw these people are runners. Anxiety not calmed.
Listen, I’d consider myself a runner after cross country in high school and three half marathons under my belt, but the last time I ran was over a month ago right before an insane amount of snow wasn’t on the ground. And the last time the head of this group ran was yesterday. In California.
No travel day skips, I guess.
But nonetheless, I love being in rooms or environments that push me, so here I go.
The night before, we get a message saying that despite the rain in the forecast, the run will still be on.
These people are serious! Let’s go!
The Morning
I get up at 6:30am. Well, really, I get up at 3:59am, 4am, 4:49am, 5:01am, and 6:30am. I just could not sleep! It was one of those nights where I was so giddy and anxious that I literally dreamt I missed the run.
Finally, at my official alarm, I get up, dressed, and outside. And yep, it was raining.
Not too bad, though, just a little drizzle here and there. I did a good job toeing around the puddles to get on the subway and off until arriving at the meet up spot.
I show up several minutes before anyone, as I tend to do. I practically opened the cafe with the barista. She was chill.
Bedford Studio, West Village, NYC
Fast forward, everyone comes in, we meet, and we’re off on the run.
The Run
We go through a few neighborhood streets before hitting the runners sidewalk near the water. And, if you know NYC, you know you gotta watch the streets carefully. Cars be crazy. Pedestrians be crazy. Runners who on Strava be crazy.
No, they weren’t really crazy, but I did have to stay aware of everything, my pace, the rain in my face, attempting to talk while running.
Then, I finally did something I had been specifically avoiding this whole time - I stepped in a puddle. I pursed my lips at the moist and cold, yet familiar feeling in my shoe. I look ahead and see that everyone had also stepped in that puddle, or one like it. It would have been quite impossible to be running in NYC while simultaneously playing giant-size hopscotch and not step in a puddle.
The Big Apple? They should call it The Big Puddle!
I digress…
As this bad New York accent ran through my mind “The Big Puddle!” I had noticed none of the runners made a fuss about their shoes. No one even looked down to give out a “Echhhhh!” They all just continued to converse with one another about things other than the facts in front of us; it was raining, we were running, and our shoes were soaking wet.
Uh hello, my shoes are dripping! Literally, what else was there to talk about?!
Then I realized…
The Realization
There’s no reason to make a big deal out of something you can’t control, especially when you doubled down on your decision to go for it.
Sure, we could stay home and not run. But that’s not what runners do. Runners run. They run in rain, shine, hot, cold, mountains, sidewalks. The environment doesn’t change the fact that they’re runners.
And, believe me, there was no person running in NYC that morning who did not get their feet wet. Could you imagine trying to tip toe while running, making sure you’re staying safe from water, while it’s raining? That would be more exhausting than simply running with wet shoes!
In all reality, wet shoes aren’t the enemy; it’s the reaction we give to the wet shoes. And that reaction can be nil, which keeps us focused on our run, or an “Echhhh!” which keeps us focused on the usual and more than likely, predictable, “problems.”
Bringing It Back Around
(Like A Track Star)
Yes, this is a story about running in the rain, but how does it fit into your life?
When you decide to be somebody - an artist, a teacher, a coach, an athlete, there are going to be challenges. There are also going to be successes! In other words, there are going to be rainy days and sunny days - no matter what the day brings, that doesn’t change who you are. Stay steady in that.
If you’re scared of putting yourself out there, starting, or even quitting something - like a career, project, marriage, relationship - just know so many other people have been in your position. But guess what? They stopped tiptoeing in life and just dunked themselves in the tank.
Discomfort is not the enemy. How we respond to it is.
“What do I do if people look at me and don’t support?”
You do it anyway.
“What if everyone starts talking about me?”
You don’t stop.
“What if I fail?”
You try again.
“What if my shoes get wet?”
You keep running.
One of the reasons I love life is because life is the literal best teacher one could ask for. And it teaches all of us, all the time. The question is, are you paying attention?
Til next time,
Shay
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