A shot of DW Park from their website. My camera phone failed me today
I set out here today to tackle the 6K course a total of 3 times. So that is a total of 10.6 miles. Now this morning I was all hyped up for it, I started to get excited. But then the time came when I arrived to the park. It was 44 degrees outside, and windy so it felt like 38ish degrees. I wore shorts under my sweat pants to work so I was prepared for a warm run but it was not! I did not have my running gloves either. So I started to get the dread. That feeling of ugh why am I doing this? See that is the problem with training, there is no finish line. There is no one cheering you on waiting for you to finish and taking pictures. No training is totally just boring, pushing yourself to get it done kind of mentality.
And honestly it is not always fun or easy to get the training done.I enjoy running shorter distances, I enjoy doing speed work even. I enjoy my daily times at the gym, I generally love to work out. I look forward to long runs when I am stressed out or angry and it goes by quick. But on a Saturday afternoon when you have a million more fun things you can be doing, there is nothing to look forward to when you have a run scheduled that will take 2 hours out of your day. Today was one of those runs. I did not want to be there alone circling that lake 3 times in the wind.
So why do I do it? Well I am not a person who likes to fail, and when I set my mind to do something I just do not accept any excuses and push myself to get it done. And it is the races. I am running to raise money for the American Cancer Society on May 29th I have my next big half marathon scheduled. I am running then and I have a team!!! Yes 3 other coworkers have been inspired by my journey and started running and they will be helping me raise money and running for this great cause. I am so excited! So knowing all of that I knew that today I just had to get it done.
And get it done I did. It was not easy, it was not fun. But it was a 10.6 mile run around a chilly lake and I finished in 1 hour and 36 minutes. Not my best time that is an average mile of 9:03 and for me that is a bit slow but it was a training run and I will be happy with it. I felt better once it was done, like a sense of relief! It was over and I could go home and relax and prepare for my date tonight! Plus looking down at my Polar HRM and seeing that I burned 1138 calories brought a huge smile to my face!
How about you? How do you push through training runs when you may not 'want' to do it?
6 comments:
Wow, you hit the nail on the head! I really have to fight all the excuses in my head on some trainIng runs!
It truely is a mind game we play with ourselves. Friday morning did not get much sleep but had plan on getting up a 4.00 so I could get my workout in before work. My mind was saying one thing and my body was saying another. I knew it would be a great day if I could just get my butt to the gym. Finally got there. It felt really good to workout. But the darn mind of mine. Great run. Glad you stuck it out.
One the days I struggle with an early morning training run I try to think of the big picture and end result of all my hardwork. Without the training you lack the fun of race day.
I've missed my long run the past 2 weekends because I'm sick. I tried to run one of them but it wasn't going to happen. This weekend I have the flu. I think if you can pull of an ave 9m/m on a windy day, you should be proud of yourself. I would have loved to get my 13 miler in, but instead I'm camped out on the couch with a fever. Be glad you can still train and that your next race ins't looking like it's going to be a complete failure.
You did it anyway and thats all the difference! Good job! Have fun on your half marathon!
Yes Penny the more I run the more I realize it is more of a mind game than physical one. your body can do it but your mind sometimes tries to hold you back.
I am sorry you are sick Bari I hope you feel better soon!
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