Time To Get Moving
The weather is breaking, and now it’s time to think about you fitness goals. Where do you want to be in the next 60 days?
In the last 30 days, I have worked on what I refer to as “mental toughness.” I don’t use physical toughness because if I had it, then my running pace per mile would be faster and easier. I have completed two marathons and a 10-miler. The only preparation was mental, as the weekly mileage was not more than 30 miles and there were only two long runs of 15 miles each.
This was a far cry from a peak of 80 miles per week. I was guilty of not having a plan to follow and a lack of motivation. My plan called for a jump start—doing something drastic. And you have to be prepared to accept the outcome.
My first marathon in February was tough, with 18 hills and three loops. I knew what I was in for since I ran the course several times before. Into the third loop, I relaxed to running five minutes with two minutes of brisk walking (13-14 minute pace per mile). We were lucky to have good weather.
Two weeks after the marathon, there was a moderate 10-mile race with a couple of hills. My pace goal was 10-minutes per mile. I found myself in trouble before the first mile as I was walking a couple of minutes because I didn’t feel right. I didn’t warm up before the start of the race, and I paid for it. I was walking a couple of minutes each mile through mile five. Once I settled, the walking decreased, and I picked up a little speed. I finished with a 10:15 pace (1 hour 43 minutes). Last year with good training? I finished with a 1:28.
The week following the 10-miler, I entered my 82nd marathon, which was a challenging course. I had a target of five hours, which was reasonable. I managed to run the first 11 miles at a 10-minute pace. I reached the half marathon point in 2:24. I had to modify my strategy and changed to five minutes of running and two minutes of walking. I was able to maintain the ratio until mile 20. The next four miles I ran from one utility to the next and then I did the brisk walk. At mile 24, the calves went through a shut down, and the cramps took over to the point I couldn’t run. I had to stand by and watch the five hours slip away. I managed the brisk walk and crossed the finish line in 5 hours 13 minutes. I was pleased with the time.
It taught me that, in order to get something, you have to give up something.
What is the story here? Mental toughness can push physical toughness, so it’s important that you train the mind as well as the body. You probably do well taking care of the needs of others, but do you take care of your needs?
Setting aside quality time for yourself is important, even if you work out for 30 minutes or get a couple of miles in jogging. Now is the time to start working on that plan as you shape your day, and write it down on your calendar and stay with it.
Develop that passion and desire because it’s for you, and you should not feel guilty.
One way to develop will power is to give up something you love to see if you can do it. I love chocolate, and I have been “chocolate free” for three weeks. Oh, did I say that I love chocolate? Well, I had a headache for a few days after I kicked the habit. I was a three-bar a day person, and let me tell you, every time I see a Hershey’s wrapper, I want to break out in a sweat. I stopped cold turkey, just as I did with coffee several years ago.
There’s a quote in Peaceful Warrior that I like: “If you don’t get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don’t want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can’t hold on to it forever. Your mind is your predicament. It wants to be free of change. Free of pain, free of obligations of life and death. But change is law and no amount of pretending will alter that reality.”
