My goals for this year seem to have fallen into a more fluid struggle to stay motivated. My stated goal at the beginning of the year was to get fast, really fast. I started off this year by playing with my stride some more, changing shoes, an running with faster runners. This worked really well, I have turned in three sub 50 minute 10k races and knocked 5 minutes of of my half marathon in April giving me a new PB of 1:44:20 for 21.1k.
On paper it has been a really good year, and the plan was to get into good enough shape to knock 42 minutes off of my marathon time to get a Boston Marathon Qualifying time o 3:10 for my age group. Weather I got in or not I didnt care, I just wanted the time.
Looking back at that I'm not sure that I was truly tapping into what I wanted to get out of the experience. Since the beginning when I started running in 2006, my true motivation has always come from how I am feeling. This year started out pushing so hard that it took the fun out of the experience. I missed the long distance slow runs, and add to that, April marked 4 years of racing and training for me since my first 10k with barely a break. It is time to dial it back, smell the roses, and remember what is fun about running, and what I like about being in the shape I am. I like that I can run for a bus without getting winded, and that a 10k is an easy distance to go for a jog when I have nothing better to do. I really like that stairs don't bother me, and climbing the Chief in Squamish requires no more thought than a protein bar, and bottle of water.
When I started running 4 years ago, I decided to run a 10k because the simple act of getting to that distance was what I needed to start a change into becoming the fitter person that I am today. Now it has become a way of life, I need to remember that I should also have a life while I do it.
Now I am still back to the challenge I stated at the beginning, I want do do something, I thrive on challenges... Is my next adventure still running based? Could be an Ultra Marathon... Or a long cycle trek, or should I drop everything and go to school. Only time will tell, for now I'm going to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and keep track of how I feel, when I find that bull I'll take it by the horns again.
Chow for now
Ray
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