Another dose of inspiration from Professional Runner Ann Gaffigan at Her Active Life

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Another dose of inspiration from Professional Runner Ann Gaffigan

Posted June 13, 2007 at 05:00 PM by Bridget Sullivan

Section: Her Motivation, Her Story, Special Features

Her Active Life recently did a two-part interview with professional runner/steeplechaser, Ann Gaffigan. In Part I, Ann discussed how she got into the steeple, who inspires her, her training, and one of her most recent and widely read blog entries from her site, steeplechics.com. In Part II, Ann offered some incredibly insightful remarks about eating disorders and body image, how she handles disappointment, her Olympic goals, and her personal life philosophy. HAL is excited to post an excerpt from Ann’s latest blog post: ”The Believing Game.”

Give me something to believe ‘cause I don’t believe in you anymore, anymore.

I’m jamming out to the song “Makes me Wonder” by Maroon 5 in my rental car leaving the track at Occidental College last Sunday night after yet another embarrassing race. Why does this song get to me? Why am I relating to it so well? It’s about a relationship fizzling out after trying so hard to make it work. It’s about finally getting fed up and throwing in the towel. And you’re angry about it; angry with the other person for not holding up their end of the deal and helping to make it work. It’s about wondering if it was ever worth it. Are the good times worth the constant struggle? Well I’m certainly not in that type of situation with someone, so what is it about this dang song?

It’s cathartic to get good and angry sometimes and to have something to fight against. It helps if there’s a specific target toward which to direct your anger; a person, for example, someone who is opposing you and trying to bring you down. Yeah, that’s it, an opponent. The problem with running is, you are never face-to-face with your opponents. And we’re all just so darn nice that there’s never any reason to be vengeful toward each other! But I’m angry anyway, at something. I want to fight, but something is holding me down and not letting me break through and show what I can do. Stop stifling me!

Feels so good to be there, but not worth the aftermath, after that, to try to get you back.

Is it me? Maybe I’m angry at myself? It’s hard to pinpoint. But what I do know is that this is not a new struggle.

Read the rest of this entry at www.steeplechics.com
Photo: Photo Courtesy of Kathy Green via Steeplechics.com