Sunday, February 15, 2009

Sunday Long Run

As I sit here in my living room, contemplating the run I have planned for today, I feel nervous, excited, and ready. Sundays have traditionally (for me) been a day that I looked forward to with dread absolute. The thought of the thrill of the weekend ending and the new work week's commencement approaching always gave me a hopeless, pathetic feeling of sadness. Now, when I go to bed on Saturday, I have something fun to look forward to, the "Sunday Long Run." Today, I am going to embark on a fifteen mile journey of navigation by land on foot that will probably bring me to the brink of tears and then back again, to the height of pain and then the exhilaration of ecstasy. Today, I conquer my psyche, tomorrow I can conquer the mental giant that is work. I will get back at you guys when I find out what 15 miles is like and I have had a chance to digest the feeling of finishing it. The marathon is becoming a reality in my mind, and my body is responding appropriately, the time for giving up has passed, from here there is only one destination, and that is the finish line on April 19th of the Go! St. Louis Marathon.

Positive thought for the day:
Give of yourself everything, the rewards rendered will be tenfold that which you have given up.

Monday, February 9, 2009

It's SUPPOSED to Hurt

Yesterday's run (10mi) was an incredibly intense physical exertion paired with an equally enormous psychological battle.

Some background: for about the last week I have been experiencing extreme pain in my lower left leg while walking or running.

When I set out to make the ten mile run happen, I said to myself that I would go as slow as was necessary to get through the entire run. After about mile 2, I broke down completely, the pain had become too much, so I began to walk. I was so angry, with myself, with my body, and most of all that I would not be making the full run. Then, something happened, I realized that the training is SUPPOSED to hurt, if it wasn't painful, everyone would run marathons. For some reason this realization brought with it new resolve to finish the run. I began running and sped up from my previous pace, I ended up finishing the ten miles faster than I had finished my previous ten mile run only a week earlier, and with very little pain. The psychological demon has been defeated.

This run is no longer up to me, it is becoming something I am using to inspire others because I want everyone to know that we are all able to achieve great heights with time and effort. I hope that everyone will be able to find that motivation within to fight through the pain and discomfort to find their inner strength. I believe we all have what it takes, we simply must trust ourselves to DO what it takes to get where we want to be in this life.

Positive thought for the day:
Pain is temporary, achievements are permanent.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Taking the Long Way Home

Long runs are intimidating before they begin. Knowing that I am leaving the house to experience severe pain and psychological fatigue for the next hour or more becomes this giant beast in my mind. The only way to fight the demon is to go outside and start running. Taking the run one step at a time, eventually I reach the final stretch. Excitement building within as the wind whizzes by my ears, fresh air fills my lungs, sweat pours out of my pores, suddenly I am sprinting for the finish. When I am finally there, the last hour to hour and a half seems short, and the possibilities that present themselves give me a euphoric high that lasts for days.

I see the long and sad faces at work still, but I am learning to transcend that I may find inner peace.

Positive thought for the day:
We learn more about ourselves when life is difficult than we ever could if life was always simple. So, embrace challenge, that you may be strong in the face of adversity.