Well, I just wrote a long post only to have it vanish before my eyes. Technology can sure be frustrating at times. I'll do my best to retype a condensed version.
If I actually went out and ran on a daily basis, I could probably start a second blog that would reflect the impressions gained while pounding the pavement. Running to me is a form of meditation. While I am out there streams of "intelligence" just seem to flow into my head. The discomfort or pain, whatever you want to term it, seems to have a purifying effect. I just see things so much clearer.
I was running in a race this past week and a few thoughts occurred to me that I wanted to record:
- Capacity - Each of us have different capacities in terms of our abilities. Even if I ran 60 miles per week I would never be able to run competitively in anything more than perhaps a local race here in town. I just was not blessed with the lungs of Lance Armstrong. (It is this principle that highlights why it is important not to get too proud of ourselves, or judge others too quickly. We simply can not perfectly understand others in terms of where they've been or where they started from).
- Goals - It is so easy to get caught up in the chaos that surrounds us in a race situation, that you can lose focus on what's ahead. I have found that races are easiest run if I pick a landmark off in the distance that I can focus on. I don't completely ignore that which is happening in my immediate vicinity, but it helps to focus on the what's ahead. Once I reach that landmark I pick another off in the distance.
- Downhills - The hill portions of a run are perhaps where I feel the most energized. That is when you are forced to adjust your level of exertion, stride, etc. It's difficult to get up and down a hill in autopilot. Downhills are great because you have gravity on your side. All you have to do is stride and gravity takes care of the rest. Consequently, I try to lengthen my stride as much as possible to take advantage of this silent partner.
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