I've decided to pull back a little on my training. It's really more of a pull back on the aggressiveness of how quickly I was trying to get longer distances while adding back a few more lower mileage runs. It's the idea of getting consistent again. It was too hard to get some of the really long runs that were planned into a regular week so I was skipping all runs during the week and killing myself on weekends to run longer than I should. In any case, it wasn't working out.
I ran two shorter runs this weekend with a 5 miler on Saturday and a 6 miler on Sunday. It's still a good distance and I felt stronger than I have in a long time. I think I was training a little too aggressively and it was backfiring. I know better which is why I'm resetting some of these plans. At least it didn't take months, or a year to figure out the plan wasn't working and to have it instead of throwing in the towel and deciding I just can't do it. I'm still at it. Still feeling good about it.
You have to get past the bumps.
TT
Monday, March 7, 2016
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Everything else
Saturday - So much to do my head is already swirling. No matter. I already got a 5 miler done and now everything else is gravy.
I can't even begin to give you a rundown of all the things I need to get done today. I know when I woke up this morning it was making me a little anxious. There were more than a few questions about how and when I was going to get started. Do I do this now and then that after? Then later I can do the other thing and then...
I shut myself down and went to run. Nothing too long, nothing too fast. It felt good the entire way and now that it is all done, the day can start off again. The right way. No crazy thoughts of all the other stuff that will get done when it's time. Now for that gravy.
TT
I can't even begin to give you a rundown of all the things I need to get done today. I know when I woke up this morning it was making me a little anxious. There were more than a few questions about how and when I was going to get started. Do I do this now and then that after? Then later I can do the other thing and then...
I shut myself down and went to run. Nothing too long, nothing too fast. It felt good the entire way and now that it is all done, the day can start off again. The right way. No crazy thoughts of all the other stuff that will get done when it's time. Now for that gravy.
TT
Thursday, March 3, 2016
All talk
I've been doing my fair share of talking about getting myself to pause long enough to regroup. Unfortunately, the only real thing I've done about figuring out my next step is talk about it. In fact, I've digressed from the plan. At this moment there is no plan. There is no next step. I don't have an idea of what the next step to do is so it's turned into a do-nothing situation.
Obviously, I know I need to figure it out which is why I'm talking about it. You know what? That isn't getting it done. It isn't doing it. It really isn't doing anything. It's an excuse to wile away the hours doing, well, nothing. At least nothing good that will put me back on the path I should be moving along.
I have appointments this week. The car needed an oil change yesterday. I have a dental cleaning this afternoon. It's almost Friday already and these are all excuses. Because I have no plan.
Stop talking.
TT
Obviously, I know I need to figure it out which is why I'm talking about it. You know what? That isn't getting it done. It isn't doing it. It really isn't doing anything. It's an excuse to wile away the hours doing, well, nothing. At least nothing good that will put me back on the path I should be moving along.
I have appointments this week. The car needed an oil change yesterday. I have a dental cleaning this afternoon. It's almost Friday already and these are all excuses. Because I have no plan.
Stop talking.
TT
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Time and Whine
I got up early enough this morning to spend some time getting my focus back. It has taken me a while to try and settle my mind from scampering off in different directions. It wants to keep in constant motion that has become the norm lately. There is always one thing after another keeping me from pausing long enough to figure out if the task at hand is what needs to be done at the moment. I haven't had time to mentally categorize the things I planned to do with all the other things I've taken action on getting in the way. I knew this was coming.
So it's taken me a while to pause, now that I have the a few moments. Sitting at my desk is the best way for me to give myself a few minutes to think. Then, of course, I have my index cards filled with reminders and lists and motivations. I guess in a way they are my mantra's. They are the way to suspend the chaos and get into that mental center. Breathe out, breathe in slowly. It doesn't have to be that dramatic but that's the idea. I did find a list of 10 items on one card that had short, easy items to remember for the things that are important.
The first item on that list of 10 was: Make the time.
How simple and true. If it's important, don't wait for the time to be right. Don't wait for the perfect alignment. Just go do it. If you have 2 minutes get started. It makes perfect sense, right? Make the time.
The last item on that list of 10 was: Don't complain.
If it's something you want to do why are you thinking of the negative. Stop that voice. Why are you whining? It won't get you any closer to what you want to do. It won't get anyone listening to help get you there, either. Don't complain.
I'm not sure I've straightened everything I want to get straight in these few minutes. I do know it has helped to take this break and know 2 more minutes can make a difference. If I need to find another 2 minutes later to sit again, I'll make the time. And I won't whine about when that will be.
TT
So it's taken me a while to pause, now that I have the a few moments. Sitting at my desk is the best way for me to give myself a few minutes to think. Then, of course, I have my index cards filled with reminders and lists and motivations. I guess in a way they are my mantra's. They are the way to suspend the chaos and get into that mental center. Breathe out, breathe in slowly. It doesn't have to be that dramatic but that's the idea. I did find a list of 10 items on one card that had short, easy items to remember for the things that are important.
The first item on that list of 10 was: Make the time.
How simple and true. If it's important, don't wait for the time to be right. Don't wait for the perfect alignment. Just go do it. If you have 2 minutes get started. It makes perfect sense, right? Make the time.
The last item on that list of 10 was: Don't complain.
If it's something you want to do why are you thinking of the negative. Stop that voice. Why are you whining? It won't get you any closer to what you want to do. It won't get anyone listening to help get you there, either. Don't complain.
I'm not sure I've straightened everything I want to get straight in these few minutes. I do know it has helped to take this break and know 2 more minutes can make a difference. If I need to find another 2 minutes later to sit again, I'll make the time. And I won't whine about when that will be.
TT
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Pause and focus
I just pulled the top page off my calendar. We got that extra day last month but now it's time to start March of this new year 2016. What's the plan now compared to January 1st of this same year?
I think now might be a good time to take a look at what the focus and purpose was for any plans I set up. Are they still viable. Are they still workable. Are they still somewhere in place and if they are the things that I want to do and accomplish then now would be a good time to re-assess how far I've gotten and how to proceed from here.
It's good to be able to pull a page away and stop to reevaluate. Now I have to find the time before the entire month has slipped away.
TT
I think now might be a good time to take a look at what the focus and purpose was for any plans I set up. Are they still viable. Are they still workable. Are they still somewhere in place and if they are the things that I want to do and accomplish then now would be a good time to re-assess how far I've gotten and how to proceed from here.
It's good to be able to pull a page away and stop to reevaluate. Now I have to find the time before the entire month has slipped away.
TT
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Early Sunday
It's so early on a Sunday morning I'm not even sure how long I've been up. The clock is barely circling 6:00 am and I've been up for a while. The kitchen has been completely cleaned from the get-together last night and laundry has been started. The floor has been mopped, the dishes put away and even the trash and recycling has made it's way to it's proper outpost. I'm not sure what prompted me to get up and moving so energetically this morning but I've gotten a lot done before the sun has even squinted and rubbed his eyes.
The family had a spontaneous gathering yesterday. I was out for my run yesterday and got a phone call. One son called another and said let's do some grilling at the parents house and circled the wagons and made it happen. A little shopping, a little prep, and the whole group of us made it an evening. That's the way to do it. It also turns out my little venture to the coast for my 10K the second Saturday in March will also include the whole group of us. I'm excited about it. It turns out everyone is good with leaving that Friday afternoon and staying on Saturday, Sunday, and coming back Monday. The race is on Saturday morning and should be perfect timing to finish that up, shower and change, in time to go out and throw down some fresh oysters. It's a plan I'm hoping to stick to doing. The fact that the whole bunch of us is able to go makes it all the better. I can't wait.
The sun still hasn't decided to shake itself out of bed but I've got a few more things I can get done. I think I'm a little ahead of the game today which is always the best way to start a Sunday.
TT
The family had a spontaneous gathering yesterday. I was out for my run yesterday and got a phone call. One son called another and said let's do some grilling at the parents house and circled the wagons and made it happen. A little shopping, a little prep, and the whole group of us made it an evening. That's the way to do it. It also turns out my little venture to the coast for my 10K the second Saturday in March will also include the whole group of us. I'm excited about it. It turns out everyone is good with leaving that Friday afternoon and staying on Saturday, Sunday, and coming back Monday. The race is on Saturday morning and should be perfect timing to finish that up, shower and change, in time to go out and throw down some fresh oysters. It's a plan I'm hoping to stick to doing. The fact that the whole bunch of us is able to go makes it all the better. I can't wait.
The sun still hasn't decided to shake itself out of bed but I've got a few more things I can get done. I think I'm a little ahead of the game today which is always the best way to start a Sunday.
TT
Saturday, February 27, 2016
That Odd Place
Ever since the last part of December I've been doing some real training with my running. I searched all my old data, I put together some ideas, I figured out my past pitfalls and came up with ways to avoid or loophole around them. I was going to give myself the best shot at doing some mean, real training again. It's something I haven't really done in about five years. Oh sure, I've had my runs. I'll go out and run here, there, and sporadically, even regularly for a while. It will look like I'm making headway and then I'll peter out and stop. I will eventually get going again but only after some internal tongue lashing and mind abuse for not doing what I should be doing during the time I am fizzling down to nothing.
I don't want to say I'm at the point of a complete fizzle because right now it doesn't feel exactly the same. But I am finding myself at that odd point of doing some kind of avoidance to some of my runs. It occurs mostly during the week. The past couple of weeks I haven't been putting in my runs when it comes to after the workday. I've been hauling it big time on the weekends. That has to hold up for something. But what's up with my lack of motivation during the week? Normally at this point is where I would give in to the dry spells, throw up my hands, and sink in to the feeling of failure. The mind tricks of, "you see, you can't, you won't," are triggered and play devastation games. But that hasn't happened. It's the weekend again and I've found myself trying to find ways to DO that long run even though the reoccurring reasons for NOT have invaded my mind. The bad thoughts usually go something like this: It's colder than I like. I don't want to do 12 miles on the treadmill. I don't want to run those inclines in my neighborhood.
Instead, my mind has wandered into territory to try and figure out how TO do it instead of NOT. I'd wait a little later this morning before heading out so the temps can adjust upward. I can drive myself out to the runners haven and enjoy the run up and back there, avoiding both the treadmill and my neighborhood. Before that I even tried to map a route in my neighborhood and realized it would be too much up, down, backtracking the same streets to be any kind of a good run. I am looking for ways to figure it out instead of giving up.
It's nice to find I am rejecting the can't/won't thoughts more rapidly and replacing them with alternatives. I still need to work on the regular week activities but getting over and recognizing this routine of accepting the dry spells and figuring out how to keep on from here is refreshing. Training the brain is hard but it makes the rest seem so much easier. I guess I knew it wasn't just run training this time around but a bit more brain training to get past the odd places along the way. I'm kind of liking this odd place I've found myself in lately. It's proving that sticking to the focus instead of giving in to the easy is a good place to be.
TT
I don't want to say I'm at the point of a complete fizzle because right now it doesn't feel exactly the same. But I am finding myself at that odd point of doing some kind of avoidance to some of my runs. It occurs mostly during the week. The past couple of weeks I haven't been putting in my runs when it comes to after the workday. I've been hauling it big time on the weekends. That has to hold up for something. But what's up with my lack of motivation during the week? Normally at this point is where I would give in to the dry spells, throw up my hands, and sink in to the feeling of failure. The mind tricks of, "you see, you can't, you won't," are triggered and play devastation games. But that hasn't happened. It's the weekend again and I've found myself trying to find ways to DO that long run even though the reoccurring reasons for NOT have invaded my mind. The bad thoughts usually go something like this: It's colder than I like. I don't want to do 12 miles on the treadmill. I don't want to run those inclines in my neighborhood.
Instead, my mind has wandered into territory to try and figure out how TO do it instead of NOT. I'd wait a little later this morning before heading out so the temps can adjust upward. I can drive myself out to the runners haven and enjoy the run up and back there, avoiding both the treadmill and my neighborhood. Before that I even tried to map a route in my neighborhood and realized it would be too much up, down, backtracking the same streets to be any kind of a good run. I am looking for ways to figure it out instead of giving up.
It's nice to find I am rejecting the can't/won't thoughts more rapidly and replacing them with alternatives. I still need to work on the regular week activities but getting over and recognizing this routine of accepting the dry spells and figuring out how to keep on from here is refreshing. Training the brain is hard but it makes the rest seem so much easier. I guess I knew it wasn't just run training this time around but a bit more brain training to get past the odd places along the way. I'm kind of liking this odd place I've found myself in lately. It's proving that sticking to the focus instead of giving in to the easy is a good place to be.
TT
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