NatNews

Though many people generally know that it’s not always beneficial or healthy to compare themselves to others, it can be a habit that is difficult to break. This can be especially true when it comes to fitness and the results that come from consistent training and exercise routines.

Dallas resident and White Rock Running Co-op member Elizabeth Cruz said that she makes concerted efforts to avoid comparing herself to others because she knows how dangerous doing so can be.

“I think the comparison game can be really hard on some people and become toxic,” she said. “I think it’s best not to engage in this behavior, as hard as it may be.”

Dallas-area resident Emmanuel Amadi said that comparing oneself to others when it comes to running can be mentally crippling and cause an individual to lose the true meaning of the “why” behind his or her reason for training and competing.

“In a hyper-competitive and individualized sport like running, comparing your performance and, more importantly, your trajectory is the thief of joy,” he said. “Although easier said than done, in a data-driven sport in which one can easily succumb to this human pattern, we must be self-aware of the adverse consequences. Comparison breeds the futile feeling of us being superior or inferior to others, which inadvertently could distract and deter one from enjoying his or her running journey.”

And Cruz knows first-hand the importance of focusing on that joy she finds in the sport, especially because she chooses to run as a hobby, not because it is her career.

“I really just try to remember that I do this because I enjoy it,” she said. “I know I have a competitive nature, so with running, I really treat it as we’re all amateurs. None of us is a professional and winning anything major. If this were my job, and my livelihood depended on it, I would give it more focus. But since it’s not, I do the best I can with the time I’m willing to commit.”

For Amadi, practicing positive self-talk and taking note of how his body adapts to the various workouts his coach provides for him allow him to stimulate his mind to train more effectively and to continue to consistently give his best effort.

“I use a personal mantra that helps me maintain full focus on my running goals—Running is simply you writing your own story, so you have got to write yours every day,” he said. “In addition, focusing on my personal trend versus comparing my Strava data or ability to that of others is the reason I’m always happy to lace up my shoes every day—sore or not—to finish a run. I always enjoy the glowing smile I have when I see a positive trend in my progress.”

Amadi also stressed the importance of an individual focusing on his or her own health and exercise needs and goals, particularly because no two people are exactly alike.

“Sticking to what works best for you in running and overall fitness is paramount due to the fact that, as humans, we are genetically different,” he said. “Our bodies respond to training stimuli remarkably differently, and other external factors, like weather and terrain, produce differences in running performance.”

Cruz said it’s healthy to learn from others who are more experienced, especially when individuals are new to running or other forms of exercise and fitness, but that does not mean that one should replicate another’s regime exactly.

“I think trying what others are doing is fine while you figure it out,” she said. “I think being open to advice from others is good but while also keeping in mind that just because it works for them doesn’t mean it’s the only way or what will work for you.”

We always see the same side of the moon from the earth. You would need to go into space to see the other side.

The late 1990s and early 2000s were filled with catchy songs and choreographed dances from *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, and plenty of other boy bands (yes, the term “bands” is used very loosely in this case) who captured the hearts of individuals throughout the world. Posters of some of these heartthrobs with frosted-tip hair and barely buttoned shirts graced the walls of countless teenagers and young adults with big crushes and even bigger hopes.

Dallas-area resident Cali Hoffman remembers those days of the battle of the boy bands all too well. In her eyes, there was one group that truly stole the show—and all of her attention.

“*NSYNC just had the best songs out of all of the boy bands, and my favorite band member was Justin Timberlake,” she said. “I think he made *NSYNC special because he was good eye candy, but it also led him to his solo career, which was equally as great as him being a part of an iconic boy band.”

Hoffman is certainly not alone in her liking of Timberlake and his buddies. Dallas-area resident Madison Royal also said she thinks *NSYNC topped all other boy bands, especially because of the group’s most popular and beloved member.

“I liked their sound, music videos, and—let’s be honest—JT,” she said.

But *NSYNC wasn’t the only group tearin’ up hearts and driving themselves crazy thinking of their love interests. Dallas-area resident Kyle Burnett was more a fan of Backstreet Boys and their ability to maturely communicate their longing to know the meaning of being lonely and their insistence that people quit playing games with their hearts.

“I felt they were a little less ‘bubblegummy’ than the others, and I liked the harmony,” he said.

Since that era of these group’s Total Request Live domination and teenagers hogging their homes’ landlines while spending hours upon hours calling radio stations on repeat while trying to win tickets to concerts, the boy band scene has changed drastically. Gone are the days of fans watching MTV and VH1 regularly in order to see music videos like “Bye, Bye, Bye” to learn each dance move. Burnett said this is simply the reality of change.

“I think it’s just a cyclical style,” he said. “I think the genre is still popular but in the K-pop version.”

Hoffman also agrees that the evolution of the music and artists from more than 20 years ago to what is trending now is nothing new.

“The music industry is an ever-changing art form, and songs and artists fizzle out just as fast as they become popular,” she said.

For Royal, the changes in what appeals most to fans and the younger generation has much to do with the access to a more extensive selection of how individuals are able to get their entertainment on a daily basis.

“I think boy bands dropped off because music developed and grew up,” she said. “I think as society transformed through social media, there were more artists putting themselves out there, and there was a broader spectrum to choose from. While we really only had places like MTV and VH1, we now have so many different avenues to choose from. I think boy bands are still pretty popular outside of the States, but once we had more to choose from, I think the craze died out naturally.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

NatNews staff members + dear readers (and future dear readers) enjoyed attending the TNSR 2023 Spring Quarterly Run last Thursday

Tuesday, June 6: Weezer at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Wednesday, June 7: Global Running Day
Thursday, June 8: 8th annual No Place Like Home at Klyde Warren Park
Saturday, June 10: WRRC Saturday run at Taco Joint