346: Transforming Life and Mindset through Running: Lori's Journey with Lori Duesing

In a world that often emphasizes speed and achievement, it's easy to forget about the pure joy of running. The story of Lori Duesing, a member of the Real Life Runners Academy, is one that reminds us of this joy. Lori courageously shared her compelling journey from feeling pressure to perform to finding satisfaction and happiness at her own pace in a recent Real Life Runners podcast. Her insightful experiences can help other runners redefine their own paths and find their love of running.

Beginnings in Running

Like many of us, Lori's running journey started with a desire for physical change and improvement. As an overweight and non-athletic child, she didn't fit the typical mold of a runner. However, everything started to shift around the year 2000 when she volunteered at a race for a hospital where she worked. Seeing those people running sparked a thought, "I wish I could run like that."

The catalyst for her to start running came a few years later when her youngest son wanted to join a gym. With a whole family membership, Lori found herself participating in a trainer team program. The workouts involving walking on a treadmill, pulling bands, lifting weights, and eventually, to keep her heart rate up in certain workout stages, Lori had to start running. That was the moment she realized the joy of running, it was a skill that she could develop and enjoy.

Overcoming Negativity and Comparison

As Lori continued to run, she noticed a significant challenge on her running journey - comparison. She was often finishing last on group runs and felt that she was slowing others down, leading to negative self-perception and frustration with running.

However, Lori didn't let this deter her. Instead, she sought a way to overcome the issue. This was when she joined the Real Life Runners Academy and began participating in the coaching sessions. The coaching sessions provided her with the guidance to rethink her beliefs and redefine her identity as a runner.

The Power of Coaching

In the podcast, Lori repeated the importance of coaching to her transformation. The coaching was not about just following a training plan, it was about understanding the meaning of running to her and finding the answers within herself. She said a good coach didn't just give her an answer, but guided her to discover what she already knew within her.

This led to her making significant decisions in her life to prioritize what truly mattered. Lori resigned from a stressful full-time management position in healthcare and reconnected with her passion: helping others. She even started her journey to become a coach herself, wishing to assist others to courageously face their fears and self-beliefs, just as she did.

Rediscovering Joy in Running

Through conscious decisions, self-belief, and coaching, Lori completed the road back to the marathon in Chicago. She not only enjoyed herself but also achieved her time goal. Seeing running as a tool for self-discovery rather than just a physical activity changed Lori's perspective about her own athletic abilities.

Lori's inspirational journey emphasizes the power of mindset in running. The shift from focusing solely on pace to finding fun in the process has allowed her to fall in love with running again. In her words, "Running is more than just running." It's a powerful gateway for personal growth, identity redefinition, and potential discovery.

Her story serves as a reminder to all runners. It isn't about how fast you are, or how many races you've won. It’s about finding joy in the process, understanding what running means to you, and ultimately, discovering your own pace in the race.