Running, A Metaphor For Life.

Author: Asha Dean

Asha Dean

The most important life skills I learned came from the sport of running. Growing up a runner I
built a toolbox that included focusing on my own lane/knowing my pace, resiliency and being in the moment.

As a mom, school administrator and a coach I put these skills to use each week. In middle-
distance running a coach builds a training workout and also your races around pacing specific to you. There is a trust you have to have in your timing, managing your pace is important to one’s success. At times it can be hard to hold on to that trust as you watch others around you making moves, but utmost belief in your own plan is where it is at.


Resilience is something that can be put into practice almost every day. Avoid getting down on
yourself if things don’t work out perfectly on the first try and take it as a learning experience.
Oftentimes the lessons learned along the journey make you better and stronger in the end; life is rarely linear and that is okay. 


Remaining focused on the moment you are in is a life hack I most rely upon with my cross
country athletes….mile one didn’t go the way we wanted, fine. Leave that all in mile one, we are in mile two and that is what our focus should be at this very moment. Let’s not let the previous mile interfere with the entire race. This applies to life too….so your morning didn’t start off amazingly…so what. Leave that in the rearview mirror and re-focus on what you have in front of you to make the day great.

Asha Dean


Life is a minefield of small and big decisions, but what is most important is your attitude and making the conscious choice each day to believe in you!

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