Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Will Somebody Please "Get" Me?
Today's Run: 4.0 miles
Run Time: 41:28 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 949.3
Thoughts on the Run:
I'm writing this with hopes that someone reading this will "get" me. What I mean is really tap into what I'm trying to say, feel, experience, and share this moment. What it means to really keep pushing forward and trying until you reach a point where everything clicks.
If you've read my journal, you'll know that for several years now I've been writing about my journey to achieve a feat that is well beyond my comfort zone: to run an ultra-marathon. It's been a very human journey. I've created my own obstacles, had my own ups and downs, and have been far from consistent, with gaps of months going by in limbo between having the focus and consistency to train the way I need to train.
This past fall was a turning point for me as I decided to quit trying and start doing and began to take an attitude of getting it done no matter what. It wasn't about being a different person or having special skills or even following some arcane "trick" ... it was simply a pure choice and sticking with it.
You see, despite the roller coaster ride I've had one thing remain the same throughout: my commitment. I haven't given up. And I feel I can't fail if I don't stop.
So today could be considered and "ordinary" day - nothing much different than any other day. I woke up feeling tired, decided to sleep in and do my run in the evening.
The first thing I noticed was that instead of dreading the run during the day, I was really excited and looking forward to it. I had a mindset that it is a beautiful day (66 degrees when I came home) and a perfect evening to run, and that by doing so I would still be 100% on my schedule for training.
I even brought a bottle of Gatorade to drink on the way home so I would be hydrated and not have any excuse to linger, but just lace up and head out.
That's exactly what I did. I stepped in the house and could smell the wonderful dinner my wife had cooked. She knew I was going to run so she already prepared a bowl for me to heat up. I laced up, put on my Garmin watch to pace my run, turned on my Shuffle, and was on the road.
I always struggle out the gate but because I write this journal and focus on how my body responds, I know it's part of my warm up process so I just grit my teeth and work through it until I'm warmed up. Sure enough, the first mile I was feeling great. In fact, instead of getting tired, I was getting more invigorated. I felt fantastic!
So I stepped up the pace for the second mile. Halfway point and I was still going strong. On the way back, I hit Hamburger Hill in stride and did not slow (OK, so maybe I DID slow but I felt like I was going on pace ... I certainly didn't stop). In fact, it wasn't even a battle to get all the way through that hill. Coming down for my last mile, I was pumped. I felt I could even beat a 10-minute mile pace.
One thing I learned was that when I check my watch and my pace constantly during the run, it does nothing but create stress and cause me to artificially vary my pace. So I've learned how to glance at my watch at just the right angle so I see the mileage but not the time. I don't worry about it, my goal is distance, not pace, so I make sure I go the distance and sort out the pace when I'm done.
I had so much energy that last mile that I just flew ... I even pumped it into a semi-sprint and was going better than a 7-minute mile. It felt GREAT - the night was cool and clear, and I finished with gusto.
Here's what I want you to get: I finished with a rush. A feeling of accomplishment. A feeling of being fit, in shape, and conquering. The feeling like I can take on anything. A rush of good feelings: euphoria.
Rewind to some of my previous journal entries. You'll see me tired, struggling, in pain, trying my hardest just to get into the routine. Then read today.
THAT, my friend, is the reward. When you stick with it long enough to get out of your own way, you reap the benefits and rewards. I'm in a zone now where my workouts aren't something that I have to push myself to do, but instead lift me and pull me into them. They no longer wear me out: I might be physically tired, but they energize me and give me more energy. They don't take an hour out of my day, but give back because I am happier and more productive. THAT is the key to all of this and where you deserve to be, and THAT is why you make your lows high and your highs low until you reach the zone and create your life the way you want it to be, on your terms, even if you have to pave the road before you can drive on it.
Best of success,
Run Time: 41:28 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 949.3
Thoughts on the Run:
I'm writing this with hopes that someone reading this will "get" me. What I mean is really tap into what I'm trying to say, feel, experience, and share this moment. What it means to really keep pushing forward and trying until you reach a point where everything clicks.
If you've read my journal, you'll know that for several years now I've been writing about my journey to achieve a feat that is well beyond my comfort zone: to run an ultra-marathon. It's been a very human journey. I've created my own obstacles, had my own ups and downs, and have been far from consistent, with gaps of months going by in limbo between having the focus and consistency to train the way I need to train.
This past fall was a turning point for me as I decided to quit trying and start doing and began to take an attitude of getting it done no matter what. It wasn't about being a different person or having special skills or even following some arcane "trick" ... it was simply a pure choice and sticking with it.
You see, despite the roller coaster ride I've had one thing remain the same throughout: my commitment. I haven't given up. And I feel I can't fail if I don't stop.
So today could be considered and "ordinary" day - nothing much different than any other day. I woke up feeling tired, decided to sleep in and do my run in the evening.
The first thing I noticed was that instead of dreading the run during the day, I was really excited and looking forward to it. I had a mindset that it is a beautiful day (66 degrees when I came home) and a perfect evening to run, and that by doing so I would still be 100% on my schedule for training.
I even brought a bottle of Gatorade to drink on the way home so I would be hydrated and not have any excuse to linger, but just lace up and head out.
That's exactly what I did. I stepped in the house and could smell the wonderful dinner my wife had cooked. She knew I was going to run so she already prepared a bowl for me to heat up. I laced up, put on my Garmin watch to pace my run, turned on my Shuffle, and was on the road.
I always struggle out the gate but because I write this journal and focus on how my body responds, I know it's part of my warm up process so I just grit my teeth and work through it until I'm warmed up. Sure enough, the first mile I was feeling great. In fact, instead of getting tired, I was getting more invigorated. I felt fantastic!
So I stepped up the pace for the second mile. Halfway point and I was still going strong. On the way back, I hit Hamburger Hill in stride and did not slow (OK, so maybe I DID slow but I felt like I was going on pace ... I certainly didn't stop). In fact, it wasn't even a battle to get all the way through that hill. Coming down for my last mile, I was pumped. I felt I could even beat a 10-minute mile pace.
One thing I learned was that when I check my watch and my pace constantly during the run, it does nothing but create stress and cause me to artificially vary my pace. So I've learned how to glance at my watch at just the right angle so I see the mileage but not the time. I don't worry about it, my goal is distance, not pace, so I make sure I go the distance and sort out the pace when I'm done.
I had so much energy that last mile that I just flew ... I even pumped it into a semi-sprint and was going better than a 7-minute mile. It felt GREAT - the night was cool and clear, and I finished with gusto.
Here's what I want you to get: I finished with a rush. A feeling of accomplishment. A feeling of being fit, in shape, and conquering. The feeling like I can take on anything. A rush of good feelings: euphoria.
Rewind to some of my previous journal entries. You'll see me tired, struggling, in pain, trying my hardest just to get into the routine. Then read today.
THAT, my friend, is the reward. When you stick with it long enough to get out of your own way, you reap the benefits and rewards. I'm in a zone now where my workouts aren't something that I have to push myself to do, but instead lift me and pull me into them. They no longer wear me out: I might be physically tired, but they energize me and give me more energy. They don't take an hour out of my day, but give back because I am happier and more productive. THAT is the key to all of this and where you deserve to be, and THAT is why you make your lows high and your highs low until you reach the zone and create your life the way you want it to be, on your terms, even if you have to pave the road before you can drive on it.
Best of success,
Labels: benefits of running, commitment, euphoria, rush
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