🏃 FIELD GUIDE 64: One mile at a time

Many moons ago my best friend was a fitness junkie. She still is, but on a much lesser scale. She ran with a group of people that would get together on the weekends and bust out dozens of miles. DOZENS. Couldn’t be me.

I met Ray through her, through this group. Not only is he an incredible athlete, but he strives to make a difference not only in his own running accomplishments but, in the fitness world too through coaching, mentoring, and creating a space for those that are interested to do it on their own time with his app Run Like Gel! He is there to help you every step of the way.

This week, I hope Ray can inspire you to see the big difference small things can make. It doesnt matter how fast you get there, a mile is still a mile.

Name

Ray Bing

Location

Savannah GA

Soundtrack

(Spotify)

Born in Savannah, GA. I grew up as an active kid that loved to play video games with a slight artistic side (Sketching). Growing up as the only son with one sister, I felt like a protector lots of times. Things may have been different if I had a little brother or was the little brother. I’m here, so no complaining there, and with both parents in the household.

I tried many sports growing up as an active kid, but only tried out for basketball when I was in high school. Confidence didn’t hit me then so that was a bust. A good friend of mine saw me conditioning for the team. When he found out that I didn’t make the team, he invited me to track. That’s where my running journey really started.

I graduated in 2005. Fast forward from high school, I was still interested in running, but got more into fitness, so I started touching the weights during the beginning of 2006 as I was attending Savannah Technical College. I was just another kid trying to put on some muscle because I was small and didn’t want to feel inferior since I was a little older and entering into my early 20’s.

As college progressed, I realized that I wasn’t interested in computer stuff and sitting around (no bashing on those guys). I told my girlfriend at the time that I wanted to give modeling a try since I was putting on muscle and wanted to put it to work. She wasn’t pleased with the idea at first, but I still pursued it. Shortly after, we parted ways. We split in 2011 for good.

My modeling was a great short-lived moment. I signed with an agency in 2011 in Charleston, South Carolina (RL Model Management). I ended up being with them for one year and then I went to Atlanta to sign with Chosen (now Select Models) Model Management during the summer of 2012. That was a very great time. When I was on board with Chosen, they told me that I had to lose some muscle. The only way that I knew how to lose weight was running, so I did that.

As I pursued this journey, the initial thought that this was easy hit my mind because of track. Little that I knew, there was a lot more to it. I started researching natural runners. My two big groups were the Tarahumara Mexican runners and the Kenyans. I studied both groups very hard because one, I wanted to actively learn and two, I wanted to get good at it just in case modeling decided to blow up in my face.

I taught myself how to run from just studying their running and form. In 3 months, I was running comfortably. In 2013, I wrecked my car coming home from Atlanta and went into a trauma spiral for about 2 months. I didn’t tell anyone. I used running and the gym to get myself through it and with a little bit of time, I healed from it. From 2012 to now, running entered my life as a healer and a source of fitness.

It became a passion of mine because I learned to do it so well and just kept getting better at it. Who loves doing something that they can’t get good at? I’m sure you won’t find that much.

So from this time of discovering running, time would then pass of me just running by myself and trying to stay in shape for modeling. Not even knowing what running pace or time meant. In 2019, I would get cut from my modeling agency which in turn left me to focus more on running. I found, in a very short amount of time, that I could do it more competitively once I was able to understand what running times actually meant. I entered the local road racing scene late 2017, and continued to better my athleticism.

I made a name for myself; if I was winning races, I was in the top. Still am. The running community allowed for me to create a different presence that I didn’t have when I was modeling. Modeling was awesome, but at the end of the day, you either have it or you don’t. That’s how it works. Quick no’s and yes’s. When you can inspire someone to get out and go for a run or just try, you’ve done something special. Many don’t like to run, but doing it with others changes the perspective.

Towards late 2019, I would then want to give coaching a try. It was just a thought. My independent tax preparer started showing me her son and said that he needed help. “Ray parents want their kids to be superstars!” That was enough for me. As 2020 would be starting, she approached me about coaching him. I told her that I would have to get certified first and that I would give it my best.

The next year I was fully prepared and so it began. Seeing others reach their goals and really knowing you played a big part in it goes way past fulfillment. It really stays with you. That’s enough for you not to stop. You become a coach that cares and a mentor that you didn’t know someone needed. You unconsciously create more leaders.

When one knows that you have confidence and faith in them, you essentially become a third parent. They don’t feel like they can lose. These are things that can’t be bought. The primary goal for what I do is to get others to understand that discipline and developing yourself as a runner or athlete will unlock life in a way that takes away many of the struggles that we go through daily.

If you can run a mile and get through it, you won’t argue over that spilled milk. If you can run a mile, you won’t get mad at your significant for small things. If you can run a mile, your personal life and career starts to thrive. Every mile counts and it inspires you to want to do more. When you want to do more, you will want more out of life. The goal is to keep my fitness top priority so that I can show you how it’s done for many years. All it takes is a mile or two, and suddenly the world comes to you.