I have had a continual weekly mileage progression for the past 7 weeks. The coming week will be the first down week, because it is time for some extended short and easy runs - the body now needs to reap what it has sowed.
As I was running alone through the woods yesterday I was thinking about how far I have come as a runner. Back when I was 12 years old I started my long journey by running in the mornings to Rocky's home 5 blocks away. I felt odd for running in the quiet morning light because I never saw anyone else doing it. But I loved the way it felt, and it seemed to be the most natural thing to do in the world.
Since that time I have run off and on over the years. In my early 20's I would spend whole days at Blackwell running through the woods and up and down the large hill. In my late 20's and early 30's while in Chicago I loved running along the lakefront, followed by a plunge into the freezing water. In my late 30's and early 40's I started running races for the first time thanks to my friend Melinda. I still remember my first 5k in Danville. I started out strong the first mile, then did a slow burn as my legs got heavier and heavier. I could only watch in shame as a 12 year old child came blazing past me in the last 200m.
Having just turned 43, I am still finding new ways to explore my running potential. I am currently infatuated with running long distance, and am having a great experience training for ultra events. I realize running has been such a big part of my life, and how important it is to me. I have been blessed with a bit of speed, nothing great, but with minimal training I am almost assured of placing in the top 20% of any running event I enter. But comparisons of runner to runner don't mean much, and if I had happened to be a runner who was always near last, I believe I would still love to run and race.
After 31 years it would seem that running by now would surely be stale and no longer a challenge. But I feel as if I am just starting out, and have so much more to experience and learn.
A few things I have learned :
- Start moderately in any event to prevent a slow down at the end of the run
- Running with a high heart rate can last for only a short time. If I don't slow myself down within a few minutes, my body will slow itself down.
- During runs lasting longer than 2 hours, my energy levels will rise and fall for no apparent reason. When in the well of exhaustion, I need to have faith that I will rise into the light eventually.
- The older I get, the longer my warm up needs to be.
- I usually don't enjoy running to reach a specific time, so I rarely wear a watch.
- I enjoy competing against people similar in ability to myself. He who works the hardest wins, so if a person beats me, I know he/she worked harder than me.
- During long runs the first 8-10 miles seem easy and effortless. Soon after things get more difficult and painful, and a continual decline hastens as each mile passes. If I can remember this, I won't be tempted to run fast during the early stages of an ultra.
- I love running in woods and fields.
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