It's remarkable how many running sites there are on the internet. I guess that's the thing with the internet, any idiot with a modem can publish their thoughts. Of course, when you have a message board on a website, or a comment section, it invites even more amateur thoughts. I'm not looking down on that of course, since I am both an amateur runner and an amateur thinker. But, take a gander over at the message board section of Let's Run and you are bound to find some entertaining topics. And in each topic you can find some keyboard commando talking out of his ass. God bless America.
But one thread caught my attention over the weekend. Someone asked, how do you motivate yourself to get out for long runs? He talked about how he just can't get himself set for runs of an hour or more. Some people talked scenery. Some talked running partners. One guy simply said, "I can't help you, it's all about your own drive, you either have it or you don't" And well it may have come across as a bit blunt or harsh he's right.
For me, this fall the goal has been to up my mileage. Going into Philly my mileage was barely at 20 a week, concentrated on shorter speed work. I still have some short runs in my schedule, but in October I have been up at 30 miles a week. This is including at least one 10 miler a week.
Today was the day of my scheduled 10 miler. Going out, I felt awful. Sometimes this happens. A four miler yesterday after my refereeing was pretty awful. My legs felt heavy the whole time. My lungs weren't there. I found myself even 2 miles into that run wondering, "how the hell am i gonna run 10 tomorrow?" And today two miles in again I wasn't feeling good.
It woulda been easier to decide that it was a day for a six miler instead. And the thought crossed my mind, but looking at my schedule for the rest of the week, which includes some travel, it hit me that this would be the only chance for a long run. As it came to my 3, 6, and 8 mile splits it was looking as if I was on pace for my best tenner of the month. So that provided ample motivation, and sure enough, I finished 62 seconds quicker than my best tenner this month.
That said, there is always a next step. And for me as I attempt to up mileage again in November it comes to adjusting my runs when I am feeling good. Those points where a 6 miler feels easy, turn it to a tenner. When the tenner feels easy, make it a twelver. In the middle of the run, just making that decision.
And really, it's again it's not something that I'll be able to read about or get motivation from others. Sure it'll put of dinner longer, or a beer. It sure as hell will lead to more aches and pains. But you either have it in ya to make those decisions or ya don't. And it's silly to discount the mental part of this. And if the mental part is as large as I think it is, that belief and that desire to find those extra gears thats gonna have to be the key.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
That's an interesting topic you came across. I'm finding that my weekly long run is the one I look forward to the most and need the least motivation for. The short 3-mile easy runs are the ones that are a problem for me.
Good luck with flexing your distances. I feel like I need to keep a rigid program, and not so much on the distances, but rather on the time of day I run. It has to be before lunch. Most of my cruddy runs come post lunch.
I think you are onto something when talking about those shorter runs. I've found myself somewhat frustrated about my shorter runs from time to time and thinking they are just "pointless" miles. I've tried to turn some of my shorter runs into time trials or speedwork, sometimes with success, other times not.
Post a Comment