This year at RCR (Rabbis Can Run), I had the privilege of being a coach to other runners. Though I was supposed to be a player-coach, participating in the run as well, I had gotten injured a month earlier and couldn’t run.
I wasn’t that excited to go to RCR this year, and I was getting bummed out reading the RCR chat. Each person pushed themselves beyond their limits to be consistent about their runs, stretches, and eating Routines, and there I was, no running, no stretching, and no pushing beyond any limits.
But Coach K insisted that I come, and so I did. And I was glad that I did. The first day of the event was conferences of different speakers, some online, some in person. Super informative, and tremendously helpful. Connecting to others, new and old is a must, and if you have a chance to get to a conference of like-minded people, just do it. The camaraderie really rejuvenates a person and gives you renewed strength.
At the newly upgraded position of Coach, I was given the opportunity to ride around on an electric bike to check in on each runner. For some, I’d give them ice, a Gatorade, or check on whatever they needed. I also set out to encourage them to continue to push forward and cheer them on. One rabbi was running a half marathon for the first time, and at about the nine-mile mark he was hitting what’s known as the “runner’s wall”. It’s that moment when all of your energy is zapped from you and you just don’t have the energy to continue. I asked him how he was doing, and he said “I’m hitting the wall”. So I got off my bike and talked him through it, while running alongside him for a tenth of a mile. That got him through it, and he pushed himself all the way through until the end.
After the race, everyone heads back to shower and finish up with the Runner’s Siyum, and event where we celebrate our accomplishments. Similar to a learning siyum, the runner’s siyum recognizes the accomplishments one makes, and celebrates with physical joy, such as a fancy steak dinner (I had the fish). In anything you do, if you accomplish something big, make a siyum. The siyum is a fight against the Yetzer hara. The yetzer hara tells you “Ah it was no biggie. You didn’t accomplish much”. By downplaying accomplishments, you lose motivation and don’t push yourself anymore. You just give up. Making a siyum makes a statement, “What I did was great and I will continue to do more!”
Yet again, it was a great experience. And who knew that it would be considered an upgrade to move to Coach?!
Please consider donating to the RabbisCanRun program, you’ll be helping rabbis like myself make serious positive changes to their health.
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