What most runners fail to realize is that running is supposed to bring joy into your life. It is not supposed to be something you have to do. Sure it helps you feel good. It keeps you healthy. It helps you maintain a healthy weight. But if you are pushing yourself hard all the time, you are really missing the point. You should be embracing the fact that getting out on the road simply brings you joy and happiness. The simple pursuit of running and sharing what you feel with others is truly what it is all about. Why would you ever risk losing that just to hit a certain time split in your training program.
Today if I am not feeling up to a scheduled run, I change it up. Maybe I just run a shorter distance or skip it altogether. Skipping a scheduled run is in reality no big deal. The key is to realize that handling failure or lack of desire is a learned skill. Since coming back from my injury, I try to simply chalk up every failure, slow race time, or bonking as an opportunity to grow and improve. Let's be realistic, no runner will go an entire career without having to deal with some sort of failure. The big difference is in the attitude. I choose to have the attitude that my many failures are simply a step towards becoming a better runner.
I have also changed my attitude towards my training. I obviously try and meet my training goals. I do work hard and at least twice a week I do speed work and tempo runs to improve my overall speed and stamina. But if I am out on the road trying to finish one of my two weekend long runs and I just don't seem to have the gas to run the whole way, I simply stop and walk a bit until I feel better. Sure it means I will log a much slower pace. But I certainly won't do any damage to my body nor reduce the passion I have for the sport. Besides who really cares if I run 10 miles at a 9:00 or 10:00 pace.
It is more important to feel gratitude that I can get out there and run whenever I want. At 56 years old it is a gift to be able to continue to run and race like I do each year. Therefore when I am having a rough time out there on the road, feeling stressed, I remind myself that I get to do this each morning. I don't have to get up early and log the miles. I choose to. If I am truthful to myself, this little reminder brings me back to center and I am grateful to just be out there running.
May 14 – 6.10 miles (1:07:26, 11:03 pace) – Hill Repeats
May 15 – 6.20 miles (53:51, 8:41 pace) – Speed work
May 17 – 9.30 miles (1:21:30, 8:46 pace) – Tempo Run
May 18 – 6.20 miles (55:02, 8:53 pace)
May 19– 8.50 miles (1:15:16, 8:51 pace)
May 24 – 9.40 miles (1:22:24, 8:51 pace) – Tempo Run
May 25 – 7.20 miles (1:05:19, 9:04 pace)
May 26 – 10.40 miles (1:35:15, 9:10 pace)
May 27 – 10.10 miles (1:30:57, 9:00 pace)
May 28– 6.10 miles (1:09:46, 11:15 pace) – Hill Repeats
May 29 – 6.30 miles (53:35, 8:52 pace) – Speed work
May 31 – 9.40 miles (1:21:51, 8:42 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 1 – 6.10 miles (55:42, 9:08 pace)
Jun 2 – 8.10 miles (1:14:10, 9:09 pace)
Jun 3 – 11.20 miles (1:51:26, 9:57 pace)
Jun 4 – 6.10 miles (1:01:33, 10:05 pace)
Jun 5 – 3.10 miles (23:55, 7:43 pace) – Speed work
Jun 7 – 9.40 miles (1:22:11, 8:45 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 8 – 7.10 miles (1:07:21, 9:29 pace)
Jun 9 – 10.30 miles (1:38:06, 9:31 pace)
Jun 10 – 10.10 miles (1:35:17, 9:26 pace)
Total Miles: 166.6 miles
2018 Total Miles: 760.6 miles
