The Gift of Running: A Book for Runners and Future Runners

October 10, 2012 3 Comments

My new book, The Gift of Running, is now available in both paperback & ebook

- Paperback Version – Amazon.com   $9.00

- Ebook Version – Kindle Store $2.99

I wrote this book for several reasons.  Many of the books on running are tough to read, a lot like technical manuals.  I wanted to offer something more personal, runner to runner.  Moreover, I wanted it to be easy to read for the inexperienced runner.  I think I have accomplished this with The Gift of Running .

Below is the official description.  A small excerpt is included at the bottom of this page.

Book Reviews by Runners:

Book Reviews on Amazon.com:

If you would like an autographed copy of the book, please email me at pmark67@gmail.com

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The Gift of Running: a book for runners and future runners

by P Mark Taylor

Running is a gift, but not only for the gifted.  Whether you run just for fun or want to become a more competitive runner, The Gift of Running is for you. In The Gift of Running, P. Mark Taylor shows runners how to get started and stay motivated.

The book includes:  advice on how to get started as a runner, tried & true methods of running faster and longer, how to prepare for a marathon, tips on staying healthy & happy, motivation to keep you running, an insider view of the running community, & training programs for a 5K, 10K, half marathon, & marathon.

P. Mark Taylor is a runner & author of the blog at http://www.WiseRunning.com.

Publication Date:    Jul 20 2012
ISBN/EAN13:    0615668607 / 9780615668604
Page Count:    196
Binding Type:    US Trade Paper
Trim Size:    5.5″ x 8.5″
Language:    English
Color:    Black and White
Related Categories:    Sports & Recreation / Running & Jogging
 
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How to read this book:   (an excerpt from the book)

“This book is not a technical manual.  I have intentionally tried to keep my explanations brief and simple.  I have avoided technical terms and explained what I mean whenever needed.  It does offer important research-based information, but it offers more than that.

The book is about:

  • the human side of running,
  • becoming a runner,
  • working to become a better runner,
  • & staying safe, sane, and happy as a runner. 

It moves back and forth between personal stories, quotes from runners, and advice on running.

Most of the subsections of the book could be read independently, but I encourage you to read it from front to back.  This is especially true for the inexperienced runners.  Read the whole thing first, then go enjoy the run!

This book is the culmination of years of running, studying, and life experiences.  Most of all it is about the love of running and my respect for runners.

This book is dedicated to all of those who share my passion for running & to all those who are trying running for the first time.”

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Running in the Family: Leading by Example

August 31, 2012 Leave a comment

“My earliest running memories start when I was 5 years old.
My dad was a runner as well, so I would wait for him
to come home from work so that he could time me!”
–Katie MacKey

Once in a while, I get the honor of running with one of my kids.  Three of my six kids have run cross-country and one of the other three has recently become a personal trainer.  Did I cause this?  Probably not.  Perhaps cause is too strong of a word.  Influenced might be more appropriate.  When they were younger, they saw me work out periodically and go for a run once in a while.  That was before I started my second running career.  What was I doing to influence them towards fitness activity?

  • I was working out and jogging for general fitness and I talked about the benefits.
  • I did not require them to join me, but I would invite them to join me periodically.

I must have talked about it and/or invited them to join me hundreds of times before it started to happen.  We had weights in the basement and periodically, the boys would give it a go for a while.  Gradually, one or two kids would periodically ask me to go run a mile with them because they wanted to “get in better shape.”  Each had their own reason, usually for sports or just to look more fit.

Other adults and some of their peers added to the invitations.  Their school added cross-country to their sports and peer pressure pushed one daughter over the edge.  The next year, one son joined the cross-country team.  His stated reason was specifically to add an activity for his college applications.  One more daughter joined the team the third year.  She just wanted something to do.  I don’t care why they decided to start running.  I’m just happy to see them out there doing it!

In the last few years, I increased the intensity and frequency of my runs.  I call it my second running career.  I was fairly competitive in high school cross-country and track, but my first career was stopped short by injuries.  Once I began to give all I had to running, my trips to the gym to lift weights have became few and far between.  At that point I offered my gym membership to my oldest son.  He loves to work out, so he jumped at the chance.  He eventually worked his way into a job at the gym and just recently became a certified personal trainer.  He runs nearly every day as a part of his overall program.

I did not cause my kids to become runners, but I was a part of what influenced them to make that choice.

How do you lead your family and friends into fitness & running?

  1. Be excited.  Display your excitement about your fitness and running activities!   Excitement is infectious.  Talk about the positives for yourself and others.
  2. Invite them to join you.  Be persistent and positive.  Never require.  Never argue.

REMEMBER:    You cannot argue someone into fitness.  Fitness takes commitment.  Even if arguing does somehow manage to get them to do something, they are unlikely to be motivated enough to stick it out long enough to begin feeling the benefits.  They need to want it.  So, stick to the positive influence approach: Just invite.

Enjoy the run!

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The Gift of Running is now available in both paperback & e-book

- Paperback Version – Amazon.com $9.00

- Ebook Version – Kindle Store $2.99

- Ebook Version for Nook $2.99

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Why My Book on Running Is Now Only $2.99

August 11, 2012 2 Comments

I call this blog Wise Running, but wisdom usually comes through experience.  Experience involves making mistakes.  I have caught myself in the middle of a big mistake.  I broke the rule that I set before I started this blog and the process of writing books.  What rule did I break?   The one on a Post-It note stuck on the wall above my computer monitor:

I set out on this journey:

-  to promote fitness through running,

-  to help others learn how to enjoy running,

-  to encourage my fellow runners,

- and to help runners get stronger & faster.

I was doing a pretty good job staying focused on these goals.  I try to post informative and inspiring things on this blog.  I regularly post encouraging comments and inspirational quotes related to running and fitness on Facebook,  Twitter, and the Daily Mile.

My first book on running, The Gift of Running, is consistent with these goals as well.  It is about the joy of running, staying motivated, staying healthy, and getting faster.

Apparently, however, I forgot to look up at that note when I went to set the prices for The Gift of Running.  When I set the original prices, I looked at fair market value.  I examined the prices of other running books and tried to set a reasonable price.  That breaks the rule because the definition of reasonable in this case is means setting the highest price that seems reasonable and less expensive than most.  Not consistent with my note!

In hindsight, it is more consistent with my goals to get the book into as many hands as possible.  Instead of setting the highest justifiable price, I should have set it at the lowest reasonable price.  That is what I have now done.

The e-book was priced at $8.45.  Starting today, the price of the e-book version of The Gift of Running is only $2.99.

I have also lowered the price of the paperback version.  It had been priced at $14.95, but I have now set it at $9.00.

Both of these prices are as low as I can reasonably set them.  I hope this helps get the book into the hands of more runners, especially new and future runners.  That is why I wrote it.  That is why I have lowered the prices.  I wish I could go back in time and reset the price for those that have already purchased a copy, but I can’t.  My sincere apologies go out to those folks.  I am sorry.

But now I am back on track with my goals.  It is about sharing the gift of running.  It is about encouraging fitness through running.

Train hard, race easy, & enjoy the run!

P. Mark

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Runner’s High: How, When, and Why

August 9, 2012 1 Comment

It is a feeling like no other.  I recall floating along a 6 mile run one time just about 30 years ago.  I don’t have a very good memory, but I remember that run vividly.  I had slipped into a zone where running was more like floating.  I ran fairly fast, but felt no effort.  I felt happy and my body felt happy.  I was as high as a kite!  I never wanted that run to end.

Although I hadn’t been smoking marijuana, the same receptor in the brain that is triggered by marijuana was, in fact, triggered during that run.  I really was high.  I was high on running! Until recently, many scientists actually believed that runner’s high was a myth, a self-fulling prophecy based on a misconception about endorphins.  Endorphins, after all, cannot actually produce the kind of high described by runners.  The scientists were right about one thing: endorphins do not cause runner’s high.  Even so, runner’s high is real.

What causes runner’s high?  A fatty acid called Anandamide.  It triggers the same receptor in the brain that marijuana/THC triggers.  Not only does anandamide make you feel high, but it also dilates your bronchial tubes and the blood vessels in your lungs.  End result: you feel great, run better, and run longer.

How do you get anandamide?  Run!  As you run more regularly and intensely, your body tends to produce more anandamide.  If you want to increase your likelihood of getting runner’s high, you run at tempo pace, just a little faster than your 10K race pace.  This pace adds just enough stress to cause the body to produce anandamide but not so much stress as to overwhelm your body.  It is the “just right” pace for a great workout and a trip to La-La-Land.  :)

You can read more at Runner’s World:

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297–1102-0,00.html

Enjoy the run!!!

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The Gift of Running is now available in both paperback & e-book

- Paperback Version – Amazon.com

- Ebook Version – Kindle Store

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The Role of Forgiveness in Fitness and Running – Feeding the Right Monster

August 2, 2012 Leave a comment

My friend lost had lost her mojo.  She had fallen off of the fitness wagon and felt like it had left her behind.  In her own words:

“I have an admission. I have lost my mojo. Completely. My diet has been horrid, my workouts have been nonexistent and my weight is creeping up. I can’t seem to get it together these days. Help me, someone!”

How does a dedicated running blogger reach this point?  How can she climb back up on the wagon?

Mistakes:  Feeding Negative Monster

Unless you are perfect, you will make mistakes.  Even the strongest fitness fanatics will fall off of the fitness wagon from time to time.  Most of the time, we quickly recover.  We might eat just one item or meal that we know we shouldn’t.  We might skip a run or workout.  It is what happens next that determines whether this was a minor mistake or the beginning of falling off of the wagon.

The moment that you realize what you have done will slow your progress towards your goals, then you have a decision to make.  There are two monsters waiting to be fed.  The negative monster gets fed when you feel guilty about your mistake.  Feeling guilty leads to feeling bad, feeling bad often entices you into making another mistake.  Two mistakes in a row makes you feel horrible, leaving you even more vulnerable.  The negative monster is there encouraging the next bad choice.  The negative monster tells you that you can feel better now by making another mistake, by choosing short-term happiness over long-term happiness.

In short, dwelling in your guilt and shame feeds the negative monster and begins to distance you from your plan and your goals.  Feeding the negative monster makes it easier to make mistakes and harder to get back on track.

Forgiveness & Recommitment:  Feeding the Positive Monster

Thankfully, there is another monster.  This monster is fit, ripped, muscular, and a fast runner!  The positive monster gets fed every time you make a good choice, a choice that leads to fitness, health, and long-term happiness.  Instead of guilt, this monster feeds on commitment.  The negative monster cringes every time you make a positive choice.  He is diminished when you toss guilt aside and recommit to your goals.

Both monsters are affected by every decision you make.  If you want it to be easier to make a good decision, keep feeding the positive monster.  Every positive choice makes him stronger.  If you want it to be harder to make the right decision, dwell in your guilt and make another choice that is inconsistent with your fitness goals.

Is this “Feed the Monster You Want to Be Stronger” technique oversimplified?  No.  It really is that simple.  It is not easy, but it is simple.  After much encouragement from fitness buddies, my friend came to this conclusion:

“I just have to make the decision to get back at it.”

That’s right, friend!  Feed the positive monster!  Let go of the guilt and get back on the fitness wagon ONE POSITIVE DECISION AT A TIME.  Each decision will feed the positive monster and it will gradually get easier once again.

If you want it to be easier to make the right choice, feed the right monster!

Every healthy thing you eat feeds the positive monster.
Every workout feeds makes the positive monster stronger.
Every time you forgive yourself for a poor choice and recommit by following it up with good choices, the positive monster gets stronger.

Which monster do you want to feed?

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My new book, The Gift of Running, is now available in both paperback & ebook

- Paperback Version – Amazon.com

- Ebook Version – Kindle Store

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My Lifetime Running Goal

April 23, 2012 1 Comment

As a professor of teacher education, I am always asking people, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I ask the same question of potential & current students regardless of their age or present job. I ask it of college freshmen & graduate students. I ask it of principals, teachers, and future teachers.

Lately, I have been asking myself the same question regarding my running. “What do I want to be when I grow up?”

The problem has been in translating into running terms. I thought the question might be, “How fast do you want to run a marathon?” or “What will be your lifetime PR in the marathon and/or half marathon?

With this as the question, I was shooting in the dark. There are so many unknowns. I haven’t mastered the art/science of a marathon just yet, so I couldn’t really anticipate how fast I might get. I knew that at some point, I ran a half marathon in 1:20:48. Based on that, I thought that a 2:50 or 2:45 marathon would be a reasonable lifetime goal. After studying the work of Dr. Jack Daniels, I thought that perhaps I might be able to go a little faster.

Some folks would tell me to not worry about the numbers, “Just go out and enjoy the run.” I AM enjoying the run. I am also enjoying setting goals and working towards them. Setting specific goals should never spoil your fun. If it does, then you need to rethink your goals.

Still, I never felt comfortable with any specific goal that I set. Today, I figured it out. I finally know what is wrong with the way I was setting my goals. There are way too many variables involved in marathon running to be able to set my lifetime running goal based solely on that. Weather, illness, hydration, nutrition, electrolytes, hills, …. all of these things and more must be considered and you can’t control all of them. It is shaky ground.

When thinking about my training today, I set a goal which I believe is the final word.

P. Mark Taylor’s Lifetime Running Goal:

I want to run 10 mile repeats at a 5 minute pace.

[10 x 1 mile repeats with a short rest in between]

Why is this a better goal? Because it is about training rather than racing. I am not dependent on the weather being right on some particular day. If I am ready and the weather is bad, I can wait a day or two. If it is too hot, I can run it earlier in the day. If it is too cold, I can wait until it warms up.

In fact, when it comes down to it… I think I really love training more than I like racing. There is no pressure, just me and my goals for the day. I can tweak it if I don’t feel 100% or I can supercharge it if I feel great.

Anyway, what happens to the marathon and half marathon goals? If I meet my lifetime goal for training, I will surely have some excellent PRs in those events. Setting my goals this way means that on race day I can follow their advice and “just enjoy the run.”

Setting your goals this way may or may not be best for you. Set your running goals in a way that makes sense to you and allows you to get the best out of yourself and your running.

So from now on when you ask me what my goal is for an upcoming race, I will not respond with a time. I set my goals for training and let the race be a happy byproduct.

 

“Train hard, race easy, & enjoy the run!”  — P. Mark Taylor

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When a Race Is Not a Race: Off-Peak Racing

November 26, 2011 3 Comments

I was very confused.  It was only a few days before the Secret City Half Marathon and I didn’t know how to think about it.  I have been training for marathons this year.  The first was in April and the second was in October, just a month before the Secret City Half.  I had done very well in the Seven Bridges Marathon on October 16, but I had given it everything I had.  After two weeks of recovery, I only had two weeks left to prepare for the Secret City Half.  One week of full training and 1 week of tapering.  I knew that I could not have a peak performance.

That being the case, why was I running the Secret City Half?  The main reason was nostalgia.  I had run the Oak Ridge Half Marathon a couple of years ago (2009) when I was just starting my comeback.  I started that race very fast (not smart!) and finished at a snail’s pace.  I survived to finish in 1:59:27.  A year later, the course had changed and so had the name.  The Oak Ridge Half had become the Secret City half.  That race, in October 2010, I improved to 1:48:53.  I had come to love this race, so I signed up for the 2011 event which just happen to fall one month after the marathon.

I knew that because of the proximity to the marathon, I couldn’t possibly run my fastest.  On the other hand, I knew that my marathon training had me running a lot faster than last year.  In the Seven Bridges Marathon a month before, I had finished the first half in around 1:37.  If I just matched that, it would be a course PR by over 10 minutes.

Moreover, in my 1 long my training run in preparation for this half marathon, I had maintained a 7:30 pace for 15 miles.  I was actually so much faster that my training pace would actually beat last year’s performance.  If I just made it a training run, I could could still get a course PR!

So what was so difficult tho think about?  Here is the complicating factor:  I have been brimming with confidence as I have successfully improved on my marathon PR by leaps an bounds.  I have a long term goal to establish a new PR in the half, but that is a very tall order.  I had set my PR for the half marathon at 1:20:48 back in 1984, when I was 17 years old .  I have been improving steadily, but this one was still just out of reach.

My dilemma was… How much should I push the pace in the Secret City Half Marathon of 2011?

Possibility 1:  Try for a PR

If I tried to reach my all-time PR, I would tear or pull something important, get a DNF, and maybe never recover.  No, I was not going to get a PR.

Possibility 2:  Sub-1:30

If I gave everything I had, I believed that I might be able to get it down below 1:30, but at what price?    I was certain that I could accomplish this, but I was also certain that I would need two or three weeks to fully recover.

Possibility 3:  Think of it a training run

Choice 1 wasn’t ever really a choice, but I thought about it anyway.  I’m a dreamer.  What can I say?  Choice 2 was definitely realistic, but it might cause me to run slower in the next marathon.  Choice 3 would be sacrificing my pride, choosing to humble myself and be okay with a less than my best run.  Perhaps the choice looks obvious to you, but I agonized over this decision.  Can I physically handle going all out so close to the marathon?  Can I emotionally handle the idea of purposefully running slower than my absolute best?

A few days before the race, I put the question to my friends in the online running community.  I shared my agony and told them, “I don’t know whether to shoot for 1:28 or 1:38!?!” The two most common responses were something like,

“Both of them would be a PR for me!”

–or–

“What does your heart tell you?”

My heart told me two things as I read the responses.  First, it told me that I was making much ado about nothing.  Either of those goals would be a course PR.  The slow goal would beat last year’s time by over 10 minutes.  The second thing my heart told me was that the cause of my dilemma was pride. I has been so caught up in the pride of setting PRs in the marathon that I was reluctant to settle for a huge improvement in my course PR for the Secret City Half.  What was I thinking!  A big improvement is something to be celebrated.

The night before the race, I made my decision.  I would run a relatively fast, but responsible race.  And that is what I did.  I ran a little faster than the previous week’s 15 miler, but I did not try to break any records.  I set out to hang out just below a 7 minute pace and I managed to maintain around 7 minute pace through mile 10.  I started to fade in the last three miles and this is where I struggled to stay with my decision.  Will I continue to think of this as a fast training run, or will I push the pace to make sure I do not get passed?

My pride took a hit as about 10 runners passed me in the last 3.1 miles.  I was fading and they were maintaining.  I refused to go faster.  I felt flat.  I was not in peak condition.  I was not trained to peak on this day.  I reminded myself over and over, “This is a training run.  This is just a training run. It is not worth straining myself on this day.  Its just another long weekend run.”

I did give a little kick and pass one person in the last quarter mile.  I finished 11 seconds behind the last guy in my age group to earn a medal.  Part of me was very frustrated that I didn’t give more in those last miles and get the age group bling.  Half of me was proud that I had contained my effort and managed to stay healthy.

The frustrated part of me griped about my performance to my online running buddies.  As usual, they replied in such a way as to put it into perspective.  I had done well.  I finished in 1:33:31.  I had beaten my course PR by over 15 minutes, for goodness sake!  That is progress!  Be happy already!

I guess it comes down to this.  There are times when a race is not a race.  Sometimes, you run a race for fun or for nostalgia.  When you do, you have to leave your pride at the start line and just have a good run.  Whether running with friends or running the old race like visiting an old friend, a race can be just for fun.  I got to say howdy to some old friends and meet some of the folks I have interacted with online.  No all-time PR, but still a good time on a great course with great people running and awesome people volunteering.  Good times!

I plan to schedule more races as training runs.  I have learned that it can be a way to gain perspective and keep the fun in the run.

I know that I plan to once again run the Seven Bridges Marathon and follow it up with the Secret City Half.  This time, I will enjoy the half even more.  :)

Happy Running!

 

 

 

 

 

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Marathon Training: Love, Hate, and The Taper

October 6, 2011 3 Comments

“I wanna go fast!”  — Ricky Bobby

Tapering is a time of running lower miles and slower paces as you approach a long race, such as a half or full marathon.  It is designed to help us be ready for the big day…to help us meet our goal.  Amongst my hundreds of runner friends on Twitter, Facebook, and this blog, however, there is a disdain (or at the very least a discomfort) that is often expressed towards the taper.

If the taper can help us meet our goals, why such negative emotions?

Why is it that runners have such a tumultuous relationship with the taper?

For most of us, it can best be described as a love/hate relationship.  Theoretically, we love the taper.  We know that we have been using and abusing our bodies in hill workouts, 20 mile runs, track workouts, pace runs, tempo runs, interval training, and many other torturous yet wonderful ways.  Struggling through these workouts and giving everything we have has built our muscles, our endurance, and our confidence.  Runners love to push themselves.  We pride ourselves on this kind of self-denial.  Push, press, strive!

Here is where the conflict arises.  I have now been training for this marathon for over 4 months.  I have pushed my limits and done all of the aforementioned workouts day in and day out for 17 weeks.    For 119 days, pushing it to the limit was my goal.  The days that I had to take off were horrible!  I was thinking about what I should be running.  Now… after all of this time… you want me to ease up?  You want me rested?  Fewer miles?  Less effort?  Are you absolutely nuts??!!??  Where is the “Dislike” button on this thing!  No. It is absolutely unnatural.  I don’t want to do it.

The conflict continues as our brain reminds us to check in on our body parts.  Feet?  Sore.  Knees?  Swollen.  Calves?  Do you even have to ask?  Hamstrings, quads?  Yes, they are communicating loudly as well.  We know that we need the rest.  We know we need the time to heal.  It makes sense.

In the meanwhile, our spirit cries out for more striving, not less.  Our habits call for more miles, not fewer.  Our hearts love the long run.  That is why we got into this.  We love endorphins.  Let’s go get some more, right?  Wrong.  It is time to taper and heal.  We must stifle the voice crying out for endorphins and go with logic.  Bottle up all of that energy.  Store up all those carbs.  Build up that emotional energy… and pop the cork on all that pressure on race day.

If we taper right, we will be like the champagne bottle coming uncorked on race day.  Our spirit will burst forth at the sounding of the starting gun.  The cap will fly off and all of that conflict, … all of that pressure that we allowed to build through the taper… if we can manage the flow just right… will end up in a PR & all of the endorphins from two weeks flow in one session.  Good times, but only if we taper.

Happy running!

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Going to Your Happy Place – Finding the Joy in Running

October 1, 2011 2 Comments

I drank some Gatorade Pro, but I didn’t want to.  I put on my running gear, but I didn’t feel like it.  My allergies were acting up, I wanted to take a nap, but I am in training for a marathon… so I begrudgingly trudged out the door.

As I was driving to the greenways for a run, I was imagining which course I would run my 4 miles.  Hal Higdon’s Advanced II training schedule said I should run 4 miles at my target marathon pace.  Should I start out by the Earth Fair market and run down the 3rd Creek Greenway.  No.  I almost always run that.  I don’t feel like it.  Should I start out at Tyson park and run towards the UT football stadium?  Nah.  Just don’t feel like it.  Should I run Cherokee Boulevard, where I had “Slayed the Specter of a Bad Run” before?  No.  I really don’t think I’m supposed to run hills today.

I turned towards that one anyway.  “After all,” I reasoned with myself, “I’ve got to run somewhere.”  Thankfully, as I approached the parking lot near the zero mile marker on Cherokee Boulevard I saw something inspiring:  the cross country course at Sequoyah Park!  I have watched my kids run several cross country races there.  Each time, I was reminded of my own high school cross country career.  I always told myself that I would run the course and see how I would do.  Today was the day!

Seeing the park this morning triggered good memories of my kids and the good memories of my high school experience.  I was immediately drawn.  My body was a few minutes behind my heart.  I was a little stiff.  I jogged a few hundred feet and stretched just a little.  Right there and then, I decided that my body would just have to kick in because my heart was saying, “Go!”

I ran the full 5k course and added 1 mile.  I started out stiff, but trying hard and squeaked out the first mile in about 7:30.  I started to get a rhythm going and gradually loosened up.  I was running in my happy place…caught up somewhere between old memories, new memories, & the flat grassy area I was running on next to the river/lake.  I was caught up in several moments at once and all of them were good.  :)

I ran the final 2.15 miles at around a 7:00 mile pace and walked another half mile back to the car.  My goal for the day was to run 4 miles at around a 7 minute pace.  I managed to go a little farther, on grass, and kept it at an average of 7:08.  Not bad for a day when I just really didn’t feel like running.

The main accomplishment of the day, however, was capturing the joy of running when I didn’t seem to have it.

How do you get to your happy place?

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“Train hard, race easy, & enjoy the run!”  — P. Mark Taylor

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Slaying the Specter of a Bad Run

September 4, 2011 1 Comment

I had a horrible run yesterday and it was killing me.  Not during the run, mind you, but after the run.  During the run I was merely overtired and dehydrated.  That was bad enough, but this bad run was hanging over my head… calling me names…taunting…telling me that I was not good enough.  The hills were huge.  As I remembered the contours of each hill, they seemed to come alive, grimacing and laughing at me.

How can one run haunt me so much so quickly?  Probably because I have chosen some lofty goals and a short timeline.  With all of that pressure, I had no time for a bad run.  Bad runs, however, are inevitable.  We can’t control all of the things that life throws at us and we are certainly prone to making mistakes.   Logically, this was not the end of the world, but it felt like it.

How did I slay the specter of the bad run?  I rested up for a day, I was well-fueled and hydrated, I set a realistic goal for today’s run, AND… most importantly, I set the course for today’s run in the toughest part of yesterday’s run.

I looked those grimacing hills straight in the eyes and shouted, “NO!  You will not win. I may not be as fast as I want to be, but I am on my way.  You will not win. “

I did not set any new records today, but I did run a reasonably good time for course and conditions.  I faced the specter of doubt cast upon me by yesterday’s fiasco.

Tomorrow looks pretty darn good.

Happy Running!

Filed under P. Mark's Blogs, Training & Racing Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

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