Sunday, December 07, 2008
Today's Run: 4 miles (yesterday) 5 miles (today)
Run Time: 42:41 minutes, 54:50 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 896.3 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Getting close to 900 miles since I started this journey, won't be long until it's one thousand. Exciting!
I didn't log yesterday's run, but I ran it. Not very eventful.
Today was a different story. At 36 degrees when I set out, it was by far my coldest run so far. While I still had my old reactions about running in the cold (not looking forward to it) I've been focused on changing my mind. I realized part of why I had been miserable running in the cold was because I had decided that running in the cold was a miserable experience. I've been focused on it being an exhilarating experience instead, and it's working. I captured the feeling I had in South Dakota at the top of the slope of Terry Peak, staring out over the crisp blue skies above the Black Hills just before plunging down the run ... and while running is nowhere near that same experience, the association allowed me to enjoy the run.
So, the first mile I was just adjusting to the shock of how cold it truly was. It seemed all of my muscles ached and it was very hard to keep a pace. I couldn't seem to catch my breath. But I pressed on and after about a mile, I started to warm up and was getting into it. By the halfway mark, I had warmed up significantly and was even hot, so I took off a layer and was running in a short-sleeved shirt.
The hills on the way back were especially challenging and left me gasping for breath. I did not let them defeat me on the way up and ran them nonstop, but did have to slow the pace and rest on the backside.
I realized that I was over an 11 minute mile as I hit mile 4, but knowing that the rest of the way was mostly downhill, I decided to push hard and make up my time and beat the 11 minute mile. So, I increased my pace and focused on it as if it were a mile race.
I ran hard, finished feeling a little ill, but the taste of victory was far sweeter and I beat the 11-minute pace (came in just 10 seconds short ... the mind is powerful tool!).
Another week to a close and another victory, even though I missed a tempo run I still focused on moving forward and didn't let it wreck my momentum.
Take care,
Run Time: 42:41 minutes, 54:50 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 896.3 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Getting close to 900 miles since I started this journey, won't be long until it's one thousand. Exciting!
I didn't log yesterday's run, but I ran it. Not very eventful.
Today was a different story. At 36 degrees when I set out, it was by far my coldest run so far. While I still had my old reactions about running in the cold (not looking forward to it) I've been focused on changing my mind. I realized part of why I had been miserable running in the cold was because I had decided that running in the cold was a miserable experience. I've been focused on it being an exhilarating experience instead, and it's working. I captured the feeling I had in South Dakota at the top of the slope of Terry Peak, staring out over the crisp blue skies above the Black Hills just before plunging down the run ... and while running is nowhere near that same experience, the association allowed me to enjoy the run.
So, the first mile I was just adjusting to the shock of how cold it truly was. It seemed all of my muscles ached and it was very hard to keep a pace. I couldn't seem to catch my breath. But I pressed on and after about a mile, I started to warm up and was getting into it. By the halfway mark, I had warmed up significantly and was even hot, so I took off a layer and was running in a short-sleeved shirt.
The hills on the way back were especially challenging and left me gasping for breath. I did not let them defeat me on the way up and ran them nonstop, but did have to slow the pace and rest on the backside.
I realized that I was over an 11 minute mile as I hit mile 4, but knowing that the rest of the way was mostly downhill, I decided to push hard and make up my time and beat the 11 minute mile. So, I increased my pace and focused on it as if it were a mile race.
I ran hard, finished feeling a little ill, but the taste of victory was far sweeter and I beat the 11-minute pace (came in just 10 seconds short ... the mind is powerful tool!).
Another week to a close and another victory, even though I missed a tempo run I still focused on moving forward and didn't let it wreck my momentum.
Take care,
Labels: mindset, running in the cold
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Organic Food: The Magic Number 9
Today's Run: 4.5 miles
Run Time: 49:02 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 887.3 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Great run.
Had some work at home so took advantage of being able to run during the day when it was 40s instead of in the dark 30s. It was interesting that the run felt like a struggle. I've purposefully decided not to worry about pace/etc on my "easy" (non-paced) runs, so I thought I was going really slow. Despite the struggle, I only stopped once before a particularly long hill ... and then made it up and down the hill nonstop. Turns out I had a decent pace (thought I was doing 12-minute miles, found I was doing better than 11 minutes per mile).
Feel good, glad I'm keeping the momentum and staying at it.
So what about the magic number 9?
I learned yesterday that the organic foods have product codes that start with 9, while regular produce starts with 4. Also learned what happens to a person when they live exclusively on organic food long enough to be certified as organic meat (hey, it's true ... three years on nothing but organic food makes YOU organic according to the FDA). Have some fun, I did, and read For Three Years, Everything Organic.
Warmly,
Run Time: 49:02 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 887.3 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Great run.
Had some work at home so took advantage of being able to run during the day when it was 40s instead of in the dark 30s. It was interesting that the run felt like a struggle. I've purposefully decided not to worry about pace/etc on my "easy" (non-paced) runs, so I thought I was going really slow. Despite the struggle, I only stopped once before a particularly long hill ... and then made it up and down the hill nonstop. Turns out I had a decent pace (thought I was doing 12-minute miles, found I was doing better than 11 minutes per mile).
Feel good, glad I'm keeping the momentum and staying at it.
So what about the magic number 9?
I learned yesterday that the organic foods have product codes that start with 9, while regular produce starts with 4. Also learned what happens to a person when they live exclusively on organic food long enough to be certified as organic meat (hey, it's true ... three years on nothing but organic food makes YOU organic according to the FDA). Have some fun, I did, and read For Three Years, Everything Organic.
Warmly,
Labels: number 9, organic food
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
2 miles "easy" ?
Today's Run: 2.0 miles
Run Time: 21:48 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 882.8 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Wow.
Today I felt miserable when I got home ... I had a scheduled 4.5 mile run and was determined to do it outside, but then I felt ill, it was dark and cold, and I just didn't feel like it was the right thing to do.
I had my dinner (I usually wait until after my workout) and that gave me more energy ... maybe I just wasn't eating enough today? Anyway, once I felt better, while I knew the 4.5 miler was out, I also did not want to lose my momentum, so I grabbed a 2 miler from the weekend and bumped it up into tonight's slot.
I had the intention of running at a 5.0mph (12-minute mile pace) and then bumping it 0.1 mph every minute ... started off great ... but I got up to a 10 minute pace and just had all of the air let out of my sail. So, I started to ramp DOWN 0.1 mph until I hit the 2 mile mark.
I learned a valuable lesson. I was trivializing the 2 milers as "short, easy workouts" ... compared to a 6-mile run, it may seem that way ... but having stepped to the plate and actually executed the workout, it turns out those 2 milers are nothing to laugh at. They matter, and they carry their weight, and they will contribute to my success so I can't diminish their value or skip them. This 2 miler taught me a lesson.
And then it clicked ... my half marathon in March will be "just six" of those "easy" 2 mile stints. Interesting how the mind plays tricks ...
Run Time: 21:48 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 882.8 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Wow.
Today I felt miserable when I got home ... I had a scheduled 4.5 mile run and was determined to do it outside, but then I felt ill, it was dark and cold, and I just didn't feel like it was the right thing to do.
I had my dinner (I usually wait until after my workout) and that gave me more energy ... maybe I just wasn't eating enough today? Anyway, once I felt better, while I knew the 4.5 miler was out, I also did not want to lose my momentum, so I grabbed a 2 miler from the weekend and bumped it up into tonight's slot.
I had the intention of running at a 5.0mph (12-minute mile pace) and then bumping it 0.1 mph every minute ... started off great ... but I got up to a 10 minute pace and just had all of the air let out of my sail. So, I started to ramp DOWN 0.1 mph until I hit the 2 mile mark.
I learned a valuable lesson. I was trivializing the 2 milers as "short, easy workouts" ... compared to a 6-mile run, it may seem that way ... but having stepped to the plate and actually executed the workout, it turns out those 2 milers are nothing to laugh at. They matter, and they carry their weight, and they will contribute to my success so I can't diminish their value or skip them. This 2 miler taught me a lesson.
And then it clicked ... my half marathon in March will be "just six" of those "easy" 2 mile stints. Interesting how the mind plays tricks ...
Labels: easy run
Monday, December 01, 2008
The Case for Momentum
Today's Run: 3.0 miles
Run Time: 34:00 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 880.8 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Today I experienced the tremendous benefits that come from creating momentum.
After being up since 5:30am, I had a long day at the office and finally arrived home after 8:00pm in the evening. I was gone for a week, so there was a lot of "catch up" to do and we had some late design sessions. Driving home, I had a great conversation with my wife. I could easily have started to talk myself out of the 3 mile run I had scheduled, because I was running late. Fortunately, because I planned ahead and brought some extra shake mix for an extra meal in case things ran over, I wasn't too hungry.
Just months ago this would have been the perfect excuse to give up. I would have shifted days around or written off the workout and said to myself, "It's a hectic schedule, you deserve it."
You know what happened last running season when I did this consistently? The end of the week left me disappointed. There were runs I wasn't getting in. I wasn't advancing as fast because I wasn't sticking to schedule. Just missing one day per week out of six training sessions really translates to missing over 15% of the training time I had scheduled ... so why would I assume I would perform at 100%?
Fortunately, weeks ago I made The Decision (click here to learn more) and stuck with it. The first few workouts were tough. I didn't want to do them. I was tired. I'll be honest, a few times I simply dreaded going downstairs and turning on the treadmill. And I'll also be honest: if that's how every workout would be, there is no way I could stick with the program.
But the hindsight of my experience gave me a valuable gift: understanding momentum. I knew that all I had to do was suck it long enough to become a routine, a habit, and I would slowly start to transform my thoughts and feelings about training.
The shift really happened over Thanksgiving break when I started to look forward to my runs and realized I was truly committed and would not give up.
But today was the proof. Here's the key ... every time I finish a run, it's a green check mark on my workout plan and it feels GOOD. I know I've done what I set out to do, without excuses. As the result of my efforts, I dropped several pounds over the holiday break when most people gained. And a feedback loop has started: I feel so good about the effort I put into my workouts, that I naturally find it easier to eat clean to compliment that hard work I've put in.
More importantly, I get momentum. Each workout pours into the next one and each time I workout despite the odds, I gain confidence and enjoy it more. Suddenly, less than a month into this, my BEST feeling is that I'm NOT missing workouts like I did last training season. I'm not just getting excited about the green workouts completed, I'm ecstatic over the green WEEKS where at the end of the week I can look back and say, "I truly gave 100%."
So a few months ago, tonight would have been:
"I'm tired. It's been a long day. I just want to unwind. I'll go home, eat, lounge in front of the TV and catch up on sleep."
But today it was ...
"Wow, what a long day ... thank goodness my workout is just 30 minutes. What am I REALLY going to do tonight? Besides dinner and my time with my family, is there really anything else substantial I'll be missing out on? Not really ... and 30 minutes is PLENTY of time to get in some training and then have a good meal before bed. In fact, why WOULDN'T I train ... skipping today will just set me back a day. I'd rather get it done with (it's just 30 minutes out of my long day) and earn my day of rest at the end of the week (instead of feeling "cheated" because I had to swap it at the last minute)."
Okay, maybe I didn't talk THAT long to myself but the point is .. by having enough discipline to get through the hard days, I created momentum and now it keeps getting EASIER and EASIER each time to train. The six miles yesterday required no motivation when the sun came out - it was a given. Tonight? No problem. I'm so happy because it's DONE, I'm still ON TRACK, and now I can truly relax GUILT-FREE tonight and enjoy the wonderful baked chicken, baked french friends, and spinach meal my wife cooked!
How cool is that?
Use momentum to your advantage!
Run Time: 34:00 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 880.8 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Today I experienced the tremendous benefits that come from creating momentum.
After being up since 5:30am, I had a long day at the office and finally arrived home after 8:00pm in the evening. I was gone for a week, so there was a lot of "catch up" to do and we had some late design sessions. Driving home, I had a great conversation with my wife. I could easily have started to talk myself out of the 3 mile run I had scheduled, because I was running late. Fortunately, because I planned ahead and brought some extra shake mix for an extra meal in case things ran over, I wasn't too hungry.
Just months ago this would have been the perfect excuse to give up. I would have shifted days around or written off the workout and said to myself, "It's a hectic schedule, you deserve it."
You know what happened last running season when I did this consistently? The end of the week left me disappointed. There were runs I wasn't getting in. I wasn't advancing as fast because I wasn't sticking to schedule. Just missing one day per week out of six training sessions really translates to missing over 15% of the training time I had scheduled ... so why would I assume I would perform at 100%?
Fortunately, weeks ago I made The Decision (click here to learn more) and stuck with it. The first few workouts were tough. I didn't want to do them. I was tired. I'll be honest, a few times I simply dreaded going downstairs and turning on the treadmill. And I'll also be honest: if that's how every workout would be, there is no way I could stick with the program.
But the hindsight of my experience gave me a valuable gift: understanding momentum. I knew that all I had to do was suck it long enough to become a routine, a habit, and I would slowly start to transform my thoughts and feelings about training.
The shift really happened over Thanksgiving break when I started to look forward to my runs and realized I was truly committed and would not give up.
But today was the proof. Here's the key ... every time I finish a run, it's a green check mark on my workout plan and it feels GOOD. I know I've done what I set out to do, without excuses. As the result of my efforts, I dropped several pounds over the holiday break when most people gained. And a feedback loop has started: I feel so good about the effort I put into my workouts, that I naturally find it easier to eat clean to compliment that hard work I've put in.
More importantly, I get momentum. Each workout pours into the next one and each time I workout despite the odds, I gain confidence and enjoy it more. Suddenly, less than a month into this, my BEST feeling is that I'm NOT missing workouts like I did last training season. I'm not just getting excited about the green workouts completed, I'm ecstatic over the green WEEKS where at the end of the week I can look back and say, "I truly gave 100%."
So a few months ago, tonight would have been:
"I'm tired. It's been a long day. I just want to unwind. I'll go home, eat, lounge in front of the TV and catch up on sleep."
But today it was ...
"Wow, what a long day ... thank goodness my workout is just 30 minutes. What am I REALLY going to do tonight? Besides dinner and my time with my family, is there really anything else substantial I'll be missing out on? Not really ... and 30 minutes is PLENTY of time to get in some training and then have a good meal before bed. In fact, why WOULDN'T I train ... skipping today will just set me back a day. I'd rather get it done with (it's just 30 minutes out of my long day) and earn my day of rest at the end of the week (instead of feeling "cheated" because I had to swap it at the last minute)."
Okay, maybe I didn't talk THAT long to myself but the point is .. by having enough discipline to get through the hard days, I created momentum and now it keeps getting EASIER and EASIER each time to train. The six miles yesterday required no motivation when the sun came out - it was a given. Tonight? No problem. I'm so happy because it's DONE, I'm still ON TRACK, and now I can truly relax GUILT-FREE tonight and enjoy the wonderful baked chicken, baked french friends, and spinach meal my wife cooked!
How cool is that?
Use momentum to your advantage!
Labels: momentum, the decision
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