9:00 AM - Felt great today. Tired, but got some endorphins after hopping on the treadmill. Warmed up with 1.5 miles of walking, then eased into 3.5 miles of jogging in 37:20 (10:40 / mile pace), then cooled down with .5 miles of walking. Total Time: 1:07:30 Total Distance: 5.5 miles Average Pace: 12:16/ mile What I'm Reading Today: Picked up a copy of Marathoningby Bill Rodgers (c. 1980) and read the first 80 pages of it while on the treadmill today. It truly is amazing just how knowledgeable and gifted Rodges is. And to think that after his collegiate days for Wesleyan he was going ot give up the sport completely! (and arguably did for a couple years). He truly is a remarkable man, and having known and competed with the best of the generation (Shorter, Galloway, Burfoot).. he has so much insight into the sport of long distance running. I wish I had come across this book earlier, but I'm just getting to his narrative of winning Boston for the first time, and I'm absolutely hooked. Just a couple words I thought we can all take to heart: "You often read about the Kenyan runners and the statements they make about why the American and European runners tighten up: that they worry too much about the other competitors; that they worry to much about individual times in a race, or about their splits....They refuse to let the pure naturalness of running take over." (pg. 47) How true is it that often we approach a race with a specified goal in mind, and then we set out 'on pace' to achieve that goal, only to flounder or get discouraged when we get a slower time. I have learned a lot in the last year myself, and found that the reason I improved in my races was both upping my mileage, as well as listening to the advice of a 15 year old brother who, while he doesn't truly understand the sport, perhaps understands a critical piece of racing. "Just race." he told me. Sometimes we can't always shoot for a PR. Or if we do, as Sasha has alluded to, we can't set out on pace for that PR, especially if conditions are unfavorable. We need to modify our approach. As Rodgers learned in his first experience with the marathon at Boston in 1973, it truly is a humbling experience. "[A] runner must always retain his individuality as a runner. Never get caught up too much with the pack or with a coach. You have to think for yourself.... Let it filter through, be selective, and discard the rest. You must know yourself and what is right for you." (pg. 27) "For most people who run marathons, it is and it should be that way.. It's not a race, except a race within yourself. Can you finish it? Sometimes that becomes a difficult question for a marathoner. An Irish marathoner I know described such situations best. He likened them to "a crucifixion." (pg. 57)Okay, so yeah Rodgers is clearly exaggerating, but at the same time he captures the essence of the marathon. The marathon is one of the most grueling races that the runner can endure. To approach it as a serious race, and truly lay everything out on the line can be the most painful experience one has to deal with. You can hit the wall and either stop, or endure the pain and push on for that self-gratification of crossing the finish line. Marathons in my opinion take on a spirituality - when you are out there, plodding along for hours, you get in a groove, and you focus on issues in your life. You take in the scenery, but at the same time you are constantly self-monitoring, and internalizing what this journey means for you. I think that if you don't have a goal of what you want to get out of the marathon when you go in, you aren't going to come out with a sense of accomplishment. You will just come out feeling let down. I have great respect for all the marathoners out there, and the countless thousands of miles they have put into training. As we look forward to this weekend and the Olympic Trials and all of our fellow FRBloggers that are competing in Boston, as well as Ogden later this Spring and anyone else training for a race in the future, we should remember why we are doing it. Whether it's for better health, for the runner's high, for a PR, for comraderie, or for the adrenaline rush and thrill of competition - remember that we are all runners together and that we all have the drive and determination to toe that starting line like a world class athlete. We might not all have the athletic prowess as Rodgers, Shorter, Hall, or Sell but we all have a heart as big as theirs'. We have what it takes inside of us to reach the finish line. We understand that it will be a test of will, of endurance, but we have faith in our months and years of preparation, and we journey forth down that path intent on proving to ourselves we too deserve the thrill of victory. Best of luck to everyone in their training and racing. Run strong. Run fast. Run for you. God bless. - Benn -
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