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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,

Jeremy Likness

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posted by Jeremy Likness | 1:33 PM | 0 comments


Sunday, April 29, 2007

Humbled on the Mountain

I guess it's time to take a break for awhile.

Today I set out looking forward to a long run. I'd rested for several days and did not feel any issues with my foot. However, upon arriving at the mountain, I had only taken a few steps up the path when the pain came back. The pain is along the side of my foot (the outside) - it's not in the ankle but below it. Not sure what it is.

At any rate my body is telling me I just haven't relaxed enough to heel. This is extremely disappointing with a race coming soon. I'm definitely NOT ruling myself out of the race ... I just need to make sure I rest appropriately and recover fully before tackling it. I made it to the top of the mountain and then limped my way back down. I actually had a good pace (the hill repeats have paid off) but I am just frustrated to not have had a quality long run in weeks now.

Perhaps the message is that I keep pushing too far, too much, too soon. I'm going to stop trying to force volume through frequency (i.e. lots of runs) and just focus on 3 quality runs (after taking AT LEAST a full week off to get rid of this injury). I'll keep my hill repeats, have a pace run, then my long run. The fourth run just seems to be the straw that breaks the camel's back for me.

I also need to get more consistent with stretching and strength training. Something to focus on.

What was really nice was the time it took to head down the mountain. It was a pause to be in nature and "lost" on the mountain.

That's when I was struck with a very acute realization: I've been burning the candle at both ends a lot, and haven't taken much time to pause, slow down, and relax. I seem to keep thinking and hinting about it but not doing it. It's really what my long runs should be but haven't due to the stuggles I've been having lately with injuries, etc.

It is ironic because my latest video which I'll post below relates to how thought is creative and our thoughts help manifest much of what goes on in life. If we allow our thoughts to randomly generate as they tend to, then we give up control but not focusing on intention. I haven't "intended" much lately, instead I've set goals and gone with the flow but have let my thoughts run wild. It's time to do a few things. First is to just pause and relax. It used to be a daily ritual to meditate and relax ... it's time to get back to that. Those moments are so important. In fact, if I were my own client, that's the first thing I'd tell me to focus on ... so it's time to start listening to that inner voice!

The second is to start building a better routine. I wrote last week of dedicating the day to my family, and I had a phenomenal time this weekend. We went on a picnic, had a date, and it was great. I also need to carry that into the week. I've let some chaos creep in and it's time to focus more on organization.

I've had a few people ask me if I felt God is telling me that I'm not meant to run the ultramarathon. I don't believe this is the case. When I was training hard for a bodybuilding competition, I realized that I was only doing it for me. Not even as a positive act for me ... I wasn't pursuing the healthy benefits of training or achieving low body fat. I was in it for the vanity - here's my muscles, now "I'll show them" meaning the people who used to give me a hard time for being overweight and out of shape.

I realized this and prayed and decided that I would not pursue that goal. It was a humbling experience after committing so publicly and to so many people to stop and back out, but it was the right thing to do because I was pursuing it for the wrong reasons.

This goal, however, I feel is one I am called to. The issue is not the goal, it's the way I've been approaching it. It is a journey to learn about myself and my limits ... but instead I've been trying to force it, push it through, add mileage when I know I'm not ready or hit the long runs when I'm not fully healed. I've got to create more balance and I believe this is the lesson I'm meant to learn.

So I'm very much still in the game with the goal. What you'll find with me is that I don't mind if it takes longer or I have to try harder. That's why I was successful with dropping fat. Failure isn't falling down, it's not getting back up after you fall down. I "fell" many times - tried dozens of diets and really lived in a "limbo" for 15 months as I struggled to shed fat and found all the ways not to lose it. But because I persisted, I eventually found the right combination (which turned out to be something inside of me rather than a nutrition plan or workout) and succeeded.

This is a similar journey. I'm learning a lot about what I'm missing, what I'm doing wrong, what it feels like to face defeat ... but I'm getting back up, shaking the dust from my shoes and moving on. I will reach this goal but I also know all of the complications are part of the process and that I'll continue to learn and grow as part of this journey.

How exciting!

That brings me to the next installed in the Weightloss Mindset Series, Weight Loss Mindset Part 2: Thought is Creative. I learned something myself listening to this seminar I presented two years ago.



Have a blessed weekend,

Jeremy Likness

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posted by Jeremy Likness | 12:35 PM | 3 comments



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