Through the winter, I did not run very much because Washington is very wet and unseasonably dark at that time of year. Tougher, stronger runners can put up with that, but I am not one of those people.
My people tend to congregate on the couch and binge watch Hell's Kitchen and Orange is the New Black. We might look outside and notice the few, brave runners in dayglo orange, but that's only when we muster the energy to crane our necks away from the bright, LED glow of our televisions.
I ventured outside for a run maybe a dozen times this last winter, and that's being very generous. Each run, too, totally and completely sucked. Nothing felt good. My left Achilles tendon was bothering me. My right hip was getting aggravated. I felt like I was gasping for air instead of breathing steadily. The only time I felt OK was when the run was over.
More often than not, I stayed inside the warm, fluorescent cocoon of light that surrounded my local gym's treadmills. I will always strangely love treadmill running. I can focus on my form more and really get into the zone without the fear of a speeding car or an unsuspecting dog walker. My skin became pale and chalky (more so than usual anyway), and I slowly
While running is my primary "sport" or "hobby" or whatever you want to call it, it's a very active love-hate relationship. Even when it isn't winter, sometimes running just plain sucks. Runners knows this better than anyone. Sometimes, running just doesn't feel right. The thought of even tying your shoelaces can seem exhausting.
I am also terrible at committing to a training plan and by terrible, I mean, GODAWFUL because I have never committed to a training plan. I am overly frivolous when it comes to my training schedule and workout routines because there are far, far too many days where I would rather eat my weight in chocolate macadamia cookies on my couch than put on some running shoes.
What's worse is that this behavior has not hindered my performance in any way. Predictable, comfortable treadmill running and leisurely, sporadic winter runs maintained my fitness levels through a soggy spring. I ended up running my first half marathon of the season faster than last year's without any particular effort on my part.
This should be good, right? It should be, but it doesn't feel good because I know that I am being lazy. I know that I am not pushing myself any more. Whatever pace I'm running at is clearly not enough because I'm not getting any better. To be fair, I'm not getting any worse, but I don't want to be static. I didn't start this kind of living just to be the same all the time.
Some people write off a marathon as a once-in-a-lifetime achievement, and I completely understand why. There is something truly miserable about pounding the pavement for 3-4 (or more) hours straight. I know that I will always love running, and a little voice inside me kept asking if maybe this could be the year that I make or break for a Boston Qualifier? Clearly, though, this is not my year because something is not meshing for me this season and my road to BQ will be a long one (like, 8-10 more marathons!) that I will be patient for no matter how long it takes me.
Maybe the next age bracket? Ha!
Instead, there has been a much, much louder voice asking me to do more. It comes with this nagging feeling that I should consider doing something else. Something different. I need to test myself and find out if I can stick to a training plan and become someone I didn't know I could be. While a BQ is definitely in our future (My husband is also nebulously planning to run a BQ some day.) I have to ask myself if I can first do something much smaller yet so much harder.
So, I decided that I should do a triathlon because I am a terrible, horrible swimmer.
If I don't try this out, then I'll never, ever know if I could ever not be a terrible, horrible swimmer.
If you don't stick to a good marathon training plan, you might hurt your knees or break your soul a little or even get picked up by the dreaded pace wagon, but you'll live to see another day. If you don't commit to a training plan when it comes to a triathlon and swimming is your weakest event, then you will drown. Your lack of commitment could actually cause death.
Swimming a 1/2 mile might not seem like such a challenging feat, but if you can't do it well, then you won't go onto the next events and your race is over. Humans can also drown in, like, 3-inches of water or something ridiculous, so don't underestimate a measly sprint triathlon in the open water.
If I can truly commit and finish this multisport thing on race day, then why can't I commit to an equally tough training plan to shave 45 minutes from my marathon and go to Boston some day? Why can't I be one of those dayglo orange runners logging the miles on a cold winter morning?
I guess I already know that I can be if I just get off my ass, but finishing this seemingly small race in the middle of an already lax season could be just enough to push me and do it.
No comments:
Post a Comment