Monday, January 11, 2016

A Step In The Right Direction...

I got some really great advice from Kara this morning...
(not directly of course, but sometimes the Milepost quotes feel like they're written specifically for me)

"Don't try to rush progress..." 
How many of us are guilty of this? I know I am. ALL the time. I get frustrated when I'm trying to get faster (ignore the title of my blog when you read that), or trying to run longer. I want to see the progress as soon as I lace up my shoes and head out the door, not always appreciating that it can't be rushed... shouldn't be rushed. Rushing causes complications: it can cause injuries, which can lead to frustration and inevitably can stop the very progress you were trying to rush in the first place. So (taking Kara's advice) try not to "rush" forward; just take one small step at a time.

"... a step in the right direction..."
Small steps (through manageable training plans) help you reach your ultimate goal safely. The best plans allow you to build up to your goal so you don't take on too much too soon. I had a hard time learning this lesson and ended up spending a lot of time and money on physical therapy. Now, as difficult as it is, I'm trying to listen to my body and not take giant steps toward my marathon goals... just small steps forward in the right direction.

"Keep believing."
When you're faced with an injury or set back (or you feel like your progress has plateaued) it's hard to stay positive and confident. This is also true when you are about to embark on a new aspect of your running journey and you just aren't quite 100% sure that you can do it. It's in moments like these that you have to remember all the small steps that got you to where you are, and continue to focus on the next small step in front of you. Embark on your journey one step at a time, with one foot in front of the other, for one mile at a time. Believe in yourself as much as your biggest supporters believe in you (because sometimes all you can do is draw on their confidence to get you through those moments of doubt).

I had one of those moments of doubt over the weekend. I've been taking a new approach to my running this year because I'm determined to stay injury free. And while I'm monitoring my knee (it's still not 100% yet), I'm trying to find the balance between maintaining my training and not rushing progress. I started the weekend with a 5 mile run on Saturday, at a pretty decent pace (for me) with relatively even splits...

I was happy with the 5 mile run and my knee felt a little tight but not horrible, so I walked an additional 2 miles and took some post-run selfies...

On Sunday I did some yoga and stretching...
I was also trying to meditate but kept I thinking about the fact that it was hard to "clear my mind" (when you start thinking about "not thinking" it kind of defeats the whole purpose). So I gave up on clearing my mind and started thinking about my current emotional paradoxes (all the things that are making me both happy and sad at the same time). Thirty minutes into that I got hungry and started thinking about microwave popcorn (I tend to be an emotional eater) so "meditation" ended and I spent the rest of the day watching shows on Hulu (and eating popcorn).

This morning I was eager to run again...


With each small step I'm seeing progress. I'm slowly building mileage but stopping before my knee starts hurting. Two days ago I stopped at 5 miles. This morning I stopped at 6.2 miles. And on Wednesday I'm going to aim for 8 miles as long as my knee (and time) permits. 

After the 10K run this morning I dragged my feet and tried to get excited about getting ready for work. It was only hard to get excited because I (like everyone else) did NOT win the power ball on Saturday. To cheer myself up I plugged in my ear buds and blasted soca music while I worked ;) I found a new podcast that plays the latest soca songs so I was in auditory heaven...
(DJ Private Ryan's Podcast)

What have you been listening to recently? 

Is there a genre of music that always puts you in a good mood?

Do you struggle with "rushing progress"? How do you keep yourself from going too fast?

4 comments:

  1. Yes, I always want to get fitter and faster more quickly, but all the points you say are true... it just takes time and consistency..

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    Replies
    1. Yup! It's hard to be patient but that's what really pays off in the end.

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