Friday, February 3, 2012
Starting Over
Starting over is challenging:
It's harder to get motivated, your strength is diminished, you don't move as fast as you did before, and everything takes more effort.
But on the bright side:
The trail is familiar, you know where the potholes are, you know what mistakes to avoid, you've done this before, you know what your limitations are, and you know what you're capable of doing.
Added bonus:
The sunrise is just as beautiful as it ever was. ;-)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Forgotten Motivation
Since my marathon run last Spring, I have been rather lax in keeping up my running base. I've run a couple of 5Ks and a 10K, and maybe three or four workout runs on my own over the Summer months, so my body at least still knows what running is.
I live in Central Illinois, and while the Summer heat isn't nearly as bad here as in other parts of the country, it's warm enough to dampen my desire to get out and keep hitting the pavement, even for early pre-dawn runs. Add to that the post-marathon blahs resulting from my Spring marathon and I have become a "dull boy" indeed.
To try and force myself to get back into the groove, I signed myself up for a half-marathon coming up in September. I figured I would be motivated into training for the upcoming event, and life would be good again. I am now sitting one month away from the half-marathon and have managed to run a 3-miler and a 5-miler in the past few days. I can feel a little motivation seeping back into my legs, but it has been a struggle just to achieve that much.
I'm confident I can finish the run, but I'm not counting on it being a PR. I'm hoping that my motivation will improve in the next few weeks and that maybe this one accomplishment will help propel me forward into pre-training for my next marathon in Spring 2012.
A thought occurs to me as I write this however, "I seem to at least have a desire to be motivated. That in itself is some motivation, isn't it?" I wonder where this desire comes from. I suppose that deep down I know what I really want. I remember the exhilaration of race day, the pride of achieving personal goals throughout my training, and the serenity of running alone in the peaceful silence of all those early Winter mornings.
As I sit here typing this and remembering those wonderful moments that only a runner could understand, I'm starting to feel that desire to run again; to regain that sense of competition with my own past achievements and the courage to take on tougher challenges. I guess my motivation never really left me; I had just forgotten it was there.
I live in Central Illinois, and while the Summer heat isn't nearly as bad here as in other parts of the country, it's warm enough to dampen my desire to get out and keep hitting the pavement, even for early pre-dawn runs. Add to that the post-marathon blahs resulting from my Spring marathon and I have become a "dull boy" indeed.
To try and force myself to get back into the groove, I signed myself up for a half-marathon coming up in September. I figured I would be motivated into training for the upcoming event, and life would be good again. I am now sitting one month away from the half-marathon and have managed to run a 3-miler and a 5-miler in the past few days. I can feel a little motivation seeping back into my legs, but it has been a struggle just to achieve that much.
I'm confident I can finish the run, but I'm not counting on it being a PR. I'm hoping that my motivation will improve in the next few weeks and that maybe this one accomplishment will help propel me forward into pre-training for my next marathon in Spring 2012.
A thought occurs to me as I write this however, "I seem to at least have a desire to be motivated. That in itself is some motivation, isn't it?" I wonder where this desire comes from. I suppose that deep down I know what I really want. I remember the exhilaration of race day, the pride of achieving personal goals throughout my training, and the serenity of running alone in the peaceful silence of all those early Winter mornings.
As I sit here typing this and remembering those wonderful moments that only a runner could understand, I'm starting to feel that desire to run again; to regain that sense of competition with my own past achievements and the courage to take on tougher challenges. I guess my motivation never really left me; I had just forgotten it was there.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Surviving the Wall: A Rookie Runner Reflects On His Second Marathon
It's funny how my thoughts and moods change before, during and after a marathon. Leading up to the 2011 Illinois Marathon in Champaign-Urban, I was filled with the excitement and hopes of reaching my goal time mixed with worries that maybe I didn't train good enough. I had fears of hitting the wall early or bonking out of the race entirely.
And We're Off!
All the common sense in the world it seems, cannot overcome my ego's desire to exceed beyond my body's limits. My well-rested muscles were stored up with eighteen weeks worth of training. The excitement in the air was almost palpable, flavored with the anticipation of running my best race. The announcer's voice counting down the start time and the thumping music from the loud speakers had my adrenalin going. I kept trying to remind myself to start out easy, to conserve my energy for later on when I would need it most. That strategy worked for about a mile into the run. Then I started to pick up my pace. Yes, I could do this!
Then From Out of Nowhere, This Wall Came and Jumped Right In Front of Me!
I think it was mile 15 when I decided I should perhaps pull my pace back a bit. I checked my heart-rate; Good. Breathing; Good. Legs...legs? Um, Okay. I started counting off each mile one at a time. All I had to do was keep moving and all would be well. I dropped the idea of coming in ahead of my goal time and began to focus on just putting one leg in front of the other. Then at 22 miles my calves turned into concrete blocks. It was all I could do to walk. The wall had struck. I was done for.
Sour Grapes Are Best Served With Self-pity.
I saw my original goal fade quickly away. My feet were heavy hammers hitting the road with each step. The city would probably be sending me a bill for road repairs. I saw one of the sag wagons drive past. I could hop on one of them, throw in the towel and ride the "wagon of shame." I could give up and just quit. The internal lecture began, "Why do I punish myself like this? I'm not cut out for this crap. I should just stick to the shorter distance races. This really isn't worth it."
An Ounce of Pride Makes It Through Another Mile.
Another sag wagon passed by. The driver looked at me with a sympathetic question on his face. No, I couldn't bring myself to hop on that wagon any more than I could have sprinted the rest of the way in. I shook my head and waved him past. Then I looked up to see mile marker 23. I noticed other runners ahead of me and behind me. Some were jogging out their last miles, some were walking, one had taken a moment to rest against a fence post and stretch, but none were hopping on the wagon of shame. There remained a few spectators along the route, cheering us on as we struggled to push ourselves forward to our goal.
Our Goal
Our goal was to finish what we had started. We who lagged behind would not quit. We encouraged each-other to keep moving, knowing the pain and struggle we were each going through, and silently chuckling between ourselves as the remaining spectators continued to cheer us onward. They were greatly appreciated however, providing the encouragement we needed to keep moving for just a few more miles. The hammers replacing my feet were burning when I came upon the mile 24 marker. Trudging forward, those of us who could muster the strength jogged through the intersections, where police were keeping impatient motorists at bay so we could cross safely. Before I knew it, mile-marker 25 appeared up ahead.
So How Do I Want to Do This?
The next marker would be 26 miles, and after that it would be just 352 yards to the finish line. I had wanted to be here much sooner. I had wanted to blast through this thing. I had wanted more out of myself than I could deliver. "Why do I punish myself like this?" Indeed. Soon, less than a mile from the finish, I could hear the announcer's voice and the music from the loudspeakers. I needed to decide if I could squeeze just a little bit more "run" out of these concrete legs to finish this thing off. I felt just a pinch of adrenaline make it's way into my system and started to pick up my pace.
Crossing the Line
When you run across the finish line of a marathon, no matter how horrible you feel, there's the elation of finishing something you started. Your mind whirls back over the past 26.2 miles, over the weeks of training, and over all of the thoughts and emotions that brought you to this point. I didn't run this marathon the way I wanted to, but I did run it, and that would just have to do.
Recovery
After a run like this your muscles ache. At best, there are small tears in the muscle tissue and maybe some strained ligaments. It's time to be kind to yourself and allow your body to heal. There is also the mind to contend with. As I sat on the ground, letting my bare feet rest, stretching out my achy muscles and swapping stories with a fellow runner, I looked at my time. It was better than last year's time at least, and going over the "should haves" and "could haves" wasn't going to change my results. So I could do better, right? Sure I could, but I would never know for sure if I didn't try again. So...
Resolution
Sitting in the passenger seat on the drive back home, I imagined some morning next December, dragging myself reluctantly out of bed, bundling up, throwing on those damned running shoes and hitting the pavement again in sub-freezing weather. I imagined feeling the cold air biting at my cheeks, getting quizzical looks from the neighborhood folks and seeing that far off finish line in my mind. "The registration for next year's marathon is opening up in just a couple of months." I thought, stretching my sore, tired muscles a little bit, "Yes, I could do this!"
And We're Off!
All the common sense in the world it seems, cannot overcome my ego's desire to exceed beyond my body's limits. My well-rested muscles were stored up with eighteen weeks worth of training. The excitement in the air was almost palpable, flavored with the anticipation of running my best race. The announcer's voice counting down the start time and the thumping music from the loud speakers had my adrenalin going. I kept trying to remind myself to start out easy, to conserve my energy for later on when I would need it most. That strategy worked for about a mile into the run. Then I started to pick up my pace. Yes, I could do this!
Then From Out of Nowhere, This Wall Came and Jumped Right In Front of Me!
I think it was mile 15 when I decided I should perhaps pull my pace back a bit. I checked my heart-rate; Good. Breathing; Good. Legs...legs? Um, Okay. I started counting off each mile one at a time. All I had to do was keep moving and all would be well. I dropped the idea of coming in ahead of my goal time and began to focus on just putting one leg in front of the other. Then at 22 miles my calves turned into concrete blocks. It was all I could do to walk. The wall had struck. I was done for.
Sour Grapes Are Best Served With Self-pity.
I saw my original goal fade quickly away. My feet were heavy hammers hitting the road with each step. The city would probably be sending me a bill for road repairs. I saw one of the sag wagons drive past. I could hop on one of them, throw in the towel and ride the "wagon of shame." I could give up and just quit. The internal lecture began, "Why do I punish myself like this? I'm not cut out for this crap. I should just stick to the shorter distance races. This really isn't worth it."
An Ounce of Pride Makes It Through Another Mile.
Another sag wagon passed by. The driver looked at me with a sympathetic question on his face. No, I couldn't bring myself to hop on that wagon any more than I could have sprinted the rest of the way in. I shook my head and waved him past. Then I looked up to see mile marker 23. I noticed other runners ahead of me and behind me. Some were jogging out their last miles, some were walking, one had taken a moment to rest against a fence post and stretch, but none were hopping on the wagon of shame. There remained a few spectators along the route, cheering us on as we struggled to push ourselves forward to our goal.
Our Goal
Our goal was to finish what we had started. We who lagged behind would not quit. We encouraged each-other to keep moving, knowing the pain and struggle we were each going through, and silently chuckling between ourselves as the remaining spectators continued to cheer us onward. They were greatly appreciated however, providing the encouragement we needed to keep moving for just a few more miles. The hammers replacing my feet were burning when I came upon the mile 24 marker. Trudging forward, those of us who could muster the strength jogged through the intersections, where police were keeping impatient motorists at bay so we could cross safely. Before I knew it, mile-marker 25 appeared up ahead.
So How Do I Want to Do This?
The next marker would be 26 miles, and after that it would be just 352 yards to the finish line. I had wanted to be here much sooner. I had wanted to blast through this thing. I had wanted more out of myself than I could deliver. "Why do I punish myself like this?" Indeed. Soon, less than a mile from the finish, I could hear the announcer's voice and the music from the loudspeakers. I needed to decide if I could squeeze just a little bit more "run" out of these concrete legs to finish this thing off. I felt just a pinch of adrenaline make it's way into my system and started to pick up my pace.
Crossing the Line
When you run across the finish line of a marathon, no matter how horrible you feel, there's the elation of finishing something you started. Your mind whirls back over the past 26.2 miles, over the weeks of training, and over all of the thoughts and emotions that brought you to this point. I didn't run this marathon the way I wanted to, but I did run it, and that would just have to do.
Recovery
After a run like this your muscles ache. At best, there are small tears in the muscle tissue and maybe some strained ligaments. It's time to be kind to yourself and allow your body to heal. There is also the mind to contend with. As I sat on the ground, letting my bare feet rest, stretching out my achy muscles and swapping stories with a fellow runner, I looked at my time. It was better than last year's time at least, and going over the "should haves" and "could haves" wasn't going to change my results. So I could do better, right? Sure I could, but I would never know for sure if I didn't try again. So...
Resolution
Sitting in the passenger seat on the drive back home, I imagined some morning next December, dragging myself reluctantly out of bed, bundling up, throwing on those damned running shoes and hitting the pavement again in sub-freezing weather. I imagined feeling the cold air biting at my cheeks, getting quizzical looks from the neighborhood folks and seeing that far off finish line in my mind. "The registration for next year's marathon is opening up in just a couple of months." I thought, stretching my sore, tired muscles a little bit, "Yes, I could do this!"
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Running and Body vs. Brain
From a Facebook Post - Sat. March 12, 2011:
I knocked out a 16 mile long run earlier today. At mile 13 I started to feel the temptation to stop. However, the knees and shins were okay, heart rate was good, breathing was steady. So I sucked it up and kept moving. This is where the training kicks in, pushing yourself forward when normal instincts are telling you to stop. Actually taking a moment to be aware of what your body is telling you vs. what your brain wants your body to tell you and taking the correct course of action can be a real trick sometimes. This is also true in the reverse situations when your body is telling you to stop and your brain doesn't want to, and there is no room for ego in either case.
I knocked out a 16 mile long run earlier today. At mile 13 I started to feel the temptation to stop. However, the knees and shins were okay, heart rate was good, breathing was steady. So I sucked it up and kept moving. This is where the training kicks in, pushing yourself forward when normal instincts are telling you to stop. Actually taking a moment to be aware of what your body is telling you vs. what your brain wants your body to tell you and taking the correct course of action can be a real trick sometimes. This is also true in the reverse situations when your body is telling you to stop and your brain doesn't want to, and there is no room for ego in either case.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
This is Why I Run
My marathon training consists of 3 relatively short runs during the week and a long run on the weekend, with rest days and cross training in between. In the Winter, getting myself up early in the morning to put on layers of running gear before the sun comes up is a feat within itself sometimes. I don't like making myself get up early, and I don't like getting out there in the cold weather. So why am I doing this?
There is the desire of staying fit and healthy, but that can be accomplished without putting myself through this morning ritual of enduring the cold. There is something more. I've set my goal, the marathon, and each training run becomes a short-term goal leading me closer to the big 26.2 mile day. I log the successes and failures, the good runs and the bad runs. Some days I'm on top of the world, and other days the world knocks me flat. Through it all though, I run. So maybe I am goal oriented, and perhaps attaining my goal gives me the incentive I need to get out there on those tough training days. However I think there is something I get out of each run (even the "bad" ones) that keeps me going.
On every run I'll focus on my pace, then maybe I'll focus on my breathing, my heart rate, my form, etc. Then for a time my mind will wander. I'll look through the soft blue predawn haze across a snow-covered field and see the first few hints of a sun-rise beginning. The only sounds are my own feet hitting the pavement in a steady beat and my rhythmic breathing keeping time.
I don't have a training partner. I've been told that running can get pretty lonely out there on your own, and it does, but that solitude is inviting somehow. The only company I have is the chilling wind that occasionally threatens to weave its way through my knit cap and give my ears a taste of Winter cold. Sometimes it seems to whisper, "This is your journey. This is the part that counts. This is where it all happens."
A bead of sweat will sneak out from under my cap and make it's way down my cheek, transferring some of my body's heat back to wind. "Yes," I'll reply, "This is my journey, and I'm living it."
Eventually I'll come to the end of my run and begin my cool-down. Walking back to the house, I'll check my time. "Hm. Pretty good run." I'll think, "Yeah! That was awesome!"
Then my day begins. This is why I run.
There is the desire of staying fit and healthy, but that can be accomplished without putting myself through this morning ritual of enduring the cold. There is something more. I've set my goal, the marathon, and each training run becomes a short-term goal leading me closer to the big 26.2 mile day. I log the successes and failures, the good runs and the bad runs. Some days I'm on top of the world, and other days the world knocks me flat. Through it all though, I run. So maybe I am goal oriented, and perhaps attaining my goal gives me the incentive I need to get out there on those tough training days. However I think there is something I get out of each run (even the "bad" ones) that keeps me going.
On every run I'll focus on my pace, then maybe I'll focus on my breathing, my heart rate, my form, etc. Then for a time my mind will wander. I'll look through the soft blue predawn haze across a snow-covered field and see the first few hints of a sun-rise beginning. The only sounds are my own feet hitting the pavement in a steady beat and my rhythmic breathing keeping time.
I don't have a training partner. I've been told that running can get pretty lonely out there on your own, and it does, but that solitude is inviting somehow. The only company I have is the chilling wind that occasionally threatens to weave its way through my knit cap and give my ears a taste of Winter cold. Sometimes it seems to whisper, "This is your journey. This is the part that counts. This is where it all happens."
A bead of sweat will sneak out from under my cap and make it's way down my cheek, transferring some of my body's heat back to wind. "Yes," I'll reply, "This is my journey, and I'm living it."
Eventually I'll come to the end of my run and begin my cool-down. Walking back to the house, I'll check my time. "Hm. Pretty good run." I'll think, "Yeah! That was awesome!"
Then my day begins. This is why I run.
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