Motivated to Succeed

12:00 PM - Did a nice walk today before I have to get ready for work and schoolwork stuff. Still finishing up Joe Henderson's An Encyclopedia for the Thoughtful Runner.  So much of what he writes is so true and smart.  In it he suggests that the average runner can only train for at most 6 months of true "racing" a year, and that your corresponding training should follow the seasons so that you recover in the winter, race in the spring, recover and build slow and steady in the summer, and then race in the fall.  I am bypassing spring and using it as a time to just build up and recover. Then summer will be slow and steady again, hopefully back up to 50 or 60 mile weeks in preparations for the October Marathon and my November races.

Henderson writes, "The lesson here for all runners may be that we need an occasional training holiday. We might be wise not to wait for nature to demand it with an injury or an illness, but to take it voluntarily" (pp 137) He later goes on to use a quote from Ecclesiastes, "To everything, there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven... a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up." (pp 140)

And, from page 155, "[Y]ou don't need to try anything more spectacular than the modest running you already do.  You already have such a big lead that almost no one will ever catch you.  You don't need to envy other heroes, because you are one." (This quote comes in context from an excerpt where Henderson talks about how less than 1% of people than ran in high school are still running by the time they graduate from college.) I think it helps put into perspective that while even though we will claim it's an individual race to the finish, how it's just us and the clock, we still pride ourselves in being able to call ourselves runners and toting our wall of PRs and finishes with us.  We all carry our own invisible trophy case whose stories are shown in bib numbers, finisher medals, and diary entries. And yet at the same time we want to be recognizecd for our commitment and determination with the sport and our training, all those miles to come to some kind of noticing by outsiders.  Well, just know that fellow runners and non runners alike do notice everyone's commitment and determination out there, and it has made our sport all the bettr for it I think at least.

With that said, did an easy 1 mile warm up walk in 15:00, then 2 miles jogging in 21:28 (10:44 pace), then 1 mile cool down walk.

Total Time: 50:41 Total Distance: 4 miles Average Pace: 12:40

8:00 AM - After a long week of work, had to get up early, despite wanting to sleep in.  Feeling a little worn out after only five hours of sleep last night, but so much work to do that I couldn't afford to sleep in.  Went on the treadmill so that I could read today's case study for class and thus kill two birds with one stone.  I find it easier to focus and mull things over while I am walking - shuffling oddly enough. It gives me time to think about how I want to go about addressing the topics.

Began with usual walk for the warm up, then eased into 2 miles of jogging in 21:23 @ 10:41 pace. Then cooled down walking for a mile at about 15:00 pace. Once again, pain free :). Things are looking up! Stay positive fellow bloggers. We will get through this together! With a little faith, hard work, and determination we can overcome any obstacle.

Total Time: 51:12 Total Distance: 4 miles Average Pace: 12:48 / mile

1:00 PM - Went for another walk after a long morning of getting homework done for my night class.  Just a short 15 minute walk. Gorgeous out today in the upper 40s or low 50s!  On a side note, first 5+ day total in almost 2 months!

Total Time: 15:00 Total Distance: 1.02 miles Average Pace: 14:42/mile

Am reading Sacks Psychology of Running (1981) still.  Just finished actually.  A couple interesting quotes I woud like to share:

I. With regards to running addiction: "The bottom line in the development of addiction to running is adherence. You can't develop addiction to the activity unless you participate on a regular basis... Running has become a compulsion, a habit, an addiction. When days are missed, withdrawal symptoms become immediately apparent and generally powerful.  Running has become much more than a means to the end of getting in shape; it has become the end itself. The need to run becomes omnipresent." (120-121)  I think this was the hardest part (and arguably still is) about a forced break from running.  We truly take for granted just the ability to lace up and head out the door for a run when we are sidelined, and I give Emmy and everyone else that had to deal with me during my lay off extra points for putting up with my moodyness. It's amazing how the human body adapts after conditioning.

II. Also in regards to that as a follow up, and something I think I have suffered from comes from Ch. 21 " A High Prevalence of Affective Disorder in Runners": runners reported an improvement in mood and a reduction of tension after running; many of them had past histories of depression which had improved since they started running... As well as relieving depression, running (or the lack thereof) can itself cause depression. Some symptoms include depression, insomnia, fatiguability, irritability, and tachycardia (238-245)

It's amazing to think that books written on running, even 25 or 30 years ago are still so relevant today. I found it funny when Sacks mentioned that one sign of running addiction is the chronic reading of anything and everything about the sport. But I think as long as I keep myself in check, it is not necessarily a bad thing.

9:00 AM - Today was a really great day! I was pretty tired and kind of stressed with all of the end of the year projects and papers due. But I wanted to get my walk-shuffle in early. So after talking to my cutie and saying good morning, hopped on the treadmill. Mixed reactions today - walk and shuffle went fine, actually FANTASTIC, as I logged the longest jog yet since February 3 miles non-stop in 32:10 @ 10:43 pace! Started with 15:00 walk of one mile and finished with cooldown walk of a mile in 15:00 as well.  During the time though I was reading a really important book that I hope more Americans will read:  Affluenza, by John DeGraaf : book version of a PBS documentary that aired a while ago that talks about how Americans today are overworked, overstressed, underslept, and so tied into wasteful consumerism that we are effectively shooting the world to hell in a handbasket.  It made me sick to read some of the staggering statistics out there i.e. that 93% of teenage girls list shopping as their favorite activity, Parents today spend 7 times more time shopping then they do playing with their kids, America makes up only 4 percent of the world's population but is responsible for 25 percent of global warming.. There currently are more people filing for bankruptcy each year than graduate from college, and further more, more people are in an endless stream of debt now then during the Great Depression!  Reading the statistics I guess I count myself fortunate that 1. I'm a runner and understand and appreciate the sacredness and natural wonderment of the world around me, and 2. that I have not been drawn into the credit card fiasco that fuels consumerism today. They said the average American has over 7 credit cards and more than 8,000 dollars of debt.  It's times like these that I feel like either moving to Canada or voting the Communist ticket. I'm sick and tired of the rich getting the tax breaks, the middle class being underinsured with health care, and everyone buying into capitalist propoganda. Everyone says the hippies are radicals and that the eco-friendly people are just weirdos; Well if I have it my way, a nice house out in the country, with my own land, no smog or pollution, no hustle and bustle and stress of work and urbanity, that sounds pretty sweet to me.  What is money worth if the stress and time that it takes to get it takes you away from your family and shortens years off your life? We only live once, so we should try to make the best of it! Okay I'll hop off my soap box now :)

Total Time: 62:10 Total Distance: 5 miles Average Pace: 12:26/ mile

9:00 AM - Started with 1 mile warm up walk in 15:00, then eased into 3 miles of jogging in the same time as yesterday : 32:10 (10:43 / mile!). Half mile walking cool down and light stretching.  Felt really great. No pain!

Total Time: 54:45 Total Distance: 4.5 miles Average Pace: 12:10/ mile

Going to take it easy and take tomorrow off, as I have had some good gains the last few days and don't want to push it too much. Plus I have a late night at work and a lot of school work to catch up on! I wish everyone the best and hope that all my fellow recovering FRBloggers get to come back soon! We will make it through the injuries and come out stronger, more determined, and more the wiser for it! We can do this! Stay strong and think positive. Optimism truly is a little known virtue that has kept me going all these weeks! You're in my prayers everyone.

9:00 AM - Started with a nice mile warm up walk, then eased into my jogging. Was reading about Amby Burfoot's 1968 Boston Marathon win, and I can't imagine running 26.2 miles without any water stops! Let alone racing that far!! Absolutely amazing. Did 2.5 miles of nice jogging in 26:49 (10:43 pace) and then .5 miles cooldown walk. Felt really good today and just needed to get in a few more miles to ease into the school work today. Best of luck today FRBloggers and keep on truckin'.

Total Time: 49:19 Total Mileage: 4 miles Average Pace: 12:17/ mile

7:00 PM - Did a quick walk with .5 miles jog at the same pace as this morning. Total of 1.75 miles in a time of 24:00.

Total Time: 24:00 Total Distance: 1.75 Average Pace: 13:42

5:00 PM - After working all day, was nice to get changed and head to the track, since I knew that no one else would be there as it was about 42 degrees, overcast and raining like it had been all day.  Started with a mile walking warm up, then 2 miles jogging, 1 mile cool down with a little bit of jogging.

• Mile 1 - 13:55
• Mile 2 - 9:08 (feeling really good)
• Mile 3 - 8:53 (felt as easy pace as running on treadmill; had to hold back)
• Mile 4 - 11:25 (with about half mile of jogging in there)
• last .05 - :36

Total Time: 44:00 Total Distance: 4.05 miles Average Pace: 10:52/ mile

SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK: Ended up doing 28.32 miles total this week, nice improvement and no pain.  In total I did 14.5 miles of jogging in total of 2:37:22 (or 10:51 a mile pace)

FOR NEXT WEEK:  Would like to keep mileage at about the same but transition some more jogging % of the miles; i.e. have maybe 16 or 17 miles of jogging instead of 14.5.

Things are getting better. Think Spring everyone! We'll get through this!