Weekly Update to May 27

I ran fifteen miles this week, including some speedwork in Brooklyn IA (half-mile repeats: made my hamstrings and calves sore!) and a long run of ten miles in Henderson CO.

Flipping the Switch

Habits

Never permit failure to become a habit. --William Frederick Book


Or even better:

Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit. --Vincent Lombardi

We run into struggles daily, whether we are in our running shoes or not.  How we address those struggles will determine our success. 

I left the Flying J Truckstop in Sayre OK and headed north on US 283 into town.  I had never been to "downtown" Sayre before, the dusty truckstop was all I knew of the small town.  I hoped to enjoy some exploring along with my six-mile run.

People were having garage sales, kids were riding their bikes, the Sonic restaurant was doing a booming business.  Not many people were out to exercise, the locals who run were probably out hours ago, long before the temperatures soared into the mid-80's.

When I reached the place where the I-40 business loop turned off, I glanced at my Garmin training watch.  Three miles in 29:58.  Right on track for my ten-minute-per-mile tempo run.  I drank some water out of the bottle I was carrying, crossed the street, and started back.  I felt good.

Then the conversation started.  The one in my head.

"Man, it is HOT.  Maybe I should walk a little in this shade.  Heat can be dangerous, after all."

I shrugged it off.  My legs did feel a little heavy, but I had a goal for this run, five miles in fifty minutes, and another easy mile.   Then I wouldn't be sweating too much to take a shower at the truckstop.

"I've already seen all the interesting stuff on the way out.  No motivation in looking around."

My legs felt heavier. The sun really did seem hotter.

"Just walk it on in, no one will know."

My breathing was a bit more labored as I started up a hill.  I began talking back.  

"Hey," I said, "This is an easy pace, and I'm only doing fifteen miles this week.  Another three is a piece of cake."

"How much further is it?" I glanced at my watch before I could stop myself.  I had only come another half-mile.

"It doesn't matter," I said as my legs seemed to lose more power, "I don't care if I want to finish this run, I am going to finish this run!"  I picked up the pace a little to show who was in charge.

"Sore legs last week, don't want to over-train."

"Grrrr," I said.  I imagined a switch in my head.  A switch that was labeled "Something you do not want to do". I flipped the switch to "yes".

"Six miles is six miles.  Running or walking."

Flip

"You would still meet your weekly goal of fifteen miles."

Flip

"Walk a little, then you will feel better for the rest of the run, and do a better job."

FLIP

The voice went away and my energy was back.  Well, I guess the voice did not go away, it just got quiet.  I could expect it to come back anytime.

As I finished the run, the thought occurred to me that many people do not really argue with the voice in their head that wants them to take it easy.  The voice pushes them into bad decisions in their relationships, their jobs, their finances.

Doing the easy thing would not work in trucking.  The bed is warm, but Cindy needs a trailer light repaired.  The cab is nice and dry, but the chain law is in effect.  I'm not in the mood to talk to people, but the load needs to be delivered and receivers are people. (Well, most of them are, anyways.)  I guess I flip that switch all the time.

People I know of that have not learned the habit of flipping the switch have experienced grave consequences.  Playing video games instead of working will hurt your income.  Messing around with someone that tantalizes you will hurt your marriage.  Being sarcastic and selfish with your time will end your friendships.  Spending frivolously and without a plan will consign you to poverty.  Focusing on taking that next drink instead of keeping a clear head during work could end your employment.

Flipping the switch might be harder, especially at first.  But keep flipping to "yes" and a habit will form.  

A good habit.

Weekly Update to May 20

Got in the 15 miles that I had set as a goal this week.  I need to pick out a training plan that will work on the truck.  I still have the schedules I used for the previous two marathons, but my goal is faster this time.  A marathon under nine-minute miles would be 3:55:48.  Since I want to break four hours, this would be an excellent time to shoot for!

5/15 Fremont IN
Six miles around Lake George.  Nice day for a run. People were getting their boats and lake houses ready for summer.  Wow, no shoulders or sidewalks at all in the whole run.  A lady doing yard work told me that there was a way to make it all the way around the lake, cutting through the woods on the north side.  She also mentioned that the route may not be passable if the ground was too wet.  After a bit of tramping through the woods in running shorts (trying to remember what poison ivy and poison oak look like) I found a reedy marsh.  May is not the dry month here, I guess. 65 minutes, "barefoot" style stride.

5/17 Salt Lake City UT
From the Flying J Truckstop on I-80 and UT-201, there is a great trail just west down W 2100 South.  The trail is listed on Google Maps under bicycling.  Got in three miles in 28:20.

5/19 Sayre OK
Another hot run, in the mid 80-degree range.  Made six miles in 64:15 and had a chance to see town.  It was three miles from the Flying J Truckstop up US 283 to where business 40 turns off.

Won the lottery!

I received an email that I was one of the people drawn to run in the 2012 St George Marathon!!  Some people win a lottery and get $80 million, I get to run 26.2 miles.

Weekly Update to May 13

Got in 20 miles, and met my at-least-every-other-day goal.

5/8 Home, Henderson CO
Stairs, landscaping jogging, running into Lowes for parts.

5/9 Mountain Home ID
3.5 miles in 38 minutes.  Ran along Main Street this time, saw some other runners.

5/10 Canyonville OR
4.1 miles from the Seven Feathers truckstop, around town and up to the new rest area.  Trying to get in as much hill work as I can in case I get to run in St George Marathon.

5/11 Ripon CA
85 degrees and sunny!  Whew.  Only put in 2.9 easy miles, but I sweat enough for ten miles.

5/13 York NE
Cindy did our shopping for the next few days in Walmart while I took off for six miles in 60:40.

Weekly Update to May 6

Set a new goal to not let more than a day pass without running.  Missed the goal.  Oh well, there is always next week.  If goals are not high enough, you can always hit them.

5/1 Markham IL
Dock running

5/2 Sioux City IA
80 degrees and HUMID!  Got in 5 miles in 47:20 to stay under 9:30 pace.