You are faster than you think. It doesn’t matter if you have been running for years or are just now considering adding running to your healthy lifestyle—you are already a high performance super fast athlete!
That might sound like a stretch, but our mission is to get people to think differently about “fast vs. slow” and to remove barriers that might be preventing you from lacing up your sneakers and getting out there.
In fact, one of the most common excuses we hear from runners who are just getting started: “I’d love to run, but I’m so slow—it’s embarrassing!” Our response over the years has always been the same: There is no such thing as slow!
Still can’t quite wrap your head around “slow” not being an issue? Here are four points that prove you’re actually faster than you think:
1. Running “fast” is relative Who are you comparing yourself to when you say you’re “slow?” The 93% of people who can’t run a mile without stopping, perhaps? How about the majority of Americans who never exercise? (OK, we may have made up that 93% statistic, but you get the point.) Anyone out there running, walking, or just moving forward is fast compared to those who do not even try!
2. Your pace over time is impressive Some people consider running a 12-minute mile slow. But 12-minute miles would allow you to run the distance between Los Angeles and New York City in less than three weeks! (Of course that doesn’t take into account stopping for food, water, sleep, or other necessities, but it is still an impressive speed!)
3. You are not a snail Many runners—especially new ones—complain about running at a “snails pace.” But, in reality, the fastest garden snail moves at a top speed of about fifty yards per hour. At that pace, the snail is blazing through one mile in 1.4 days. Which means it would take that little guy well over a month to complete a marathon. How does your 12-minute mile sound now?
4. You’re faster than the old you One of the wonderful things about running is being able to see and measure your progress. If you get started today, within one week you will be faster than this current version of you. In a month or two you can look back at where you started and know without a doubt you are officially fast compared to the old you.
The point is, you’re faster than you think! Get out there and run with pride. Because, really, the only thing slowing you down is waiting to get started!
