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Woman running with a sunset in the background
Woman running with a sunset in the background
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SBU | Life

Lessons from Losses

Jillian Lozo Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

As a student-athlete, you have many successes in your career, but you also experience a fair share of setbacks. As most people see it, you should celebrate the successes and mourn the losses, but how I see it, the losses are the most important part of the journey as an athlete. I know that sounds odd, but without the losses, how could you celebrate the wins? 

I could tell you all about my successes and boast about all the little achievements of my running career, but to be quite honest, those aren’t very important to me. What is important to me is how many setbacks I have overcome and how each one has helped shape me into the person and runner I am today.

When I talk about losses, I don’t mean losing a race; I mean enduring injuries, having a bad workout, feeling mentally drained, and being unmotivated. In those times, I lost sight of why running is one of the most important things in my life. I temporarily lose the love I have for the sport, which is the hardest loss of all. In those moments, all I have to do is go back and reflect on how I’ve felt when running was taken from me and what running has given me.

It only takes me one deep breath to go back and recall a time when running was taken from me. It is the same feeling a little kid would get when they realize they lost their favorite toy: sadness, fear, and loss. Those feelings overpower any irritation I may have from my bad running days. My peace and security within a busy day are taken from me. 

I have always associated running with freedom and purpose. So, when my haven is taken away, I start to realize how truly beautiful it is to be an athlete. I learn how to be grateful for every opportunity I have to put my all into a race. I learn to always push myself to be the best I can be, not just as an athlete, but as a student and person. I learn that everyone is stronger than they realize and that without the losses, you can’t fully be grateful for how far you have come and for the future ahead of you.

Within running, the lessons I have learned have come from the losses. The love I have gained and the opportunities I have taken advantage of have given me a space to grow and thrive. It has given me a community and a place where I feel understood and seen. But most importantly, it has given me a sense of identity and a purpose — a place to go when I feel lost. The lessons I have learned are some of the most significant of my life, and it’s all thanks to the losses because you don’t truly realize how important something is to you until you lose it.

So, the truth is, I don’t run to win. I run because I’ve learned to lose and be resilient to rise again, which is beyond what any win could give me.

Jillian Lozo

SBU '29

Jillian Lozo is a freshman at St. Bonaventure University, from Buffalo, NY. She is excited to begin her writing journey with Her Campus and can’t wait to share stories about her lifestyle, running, and the passions that make her who she is.

Jillian is majoring in Inclusive Childhood/Early Childhood Education and is actively involved on campus. She competes on St. Bonaventure’s Division I Cross Country and Track teams and takes part in organizations including Bona Buddies, SBU-SPCA, and yoga club. Through Her Campus, she hopes to not only grow as a writer but also connect with others who share her interests.

When she’s not in class or at practice, Jillian loves spending time with friends, playing and watching sports, and relaxing with a good movie. Her all-time favorite is Grown Ups—she’s a big Adam Sandler fan and also loves anything Disney. She also enjoys listening to music, whether she’s out on a run or simply winding down.