Nothing can quite compare to watching the sun come up over the horizon while having a run early in the morning as I push myself hard stride after stride. Physically understanding that I just need to keep moving while telling my weak mind to shut up. The mind always wants to quit first, not the body. This morning the body won, and the mind was silent! I just smiled and kept going.
Runs where I leave my house thinking that I'll just go as far as I can due to sore legs or just fatigue in general on most cases turn in to the best times out on the road.
Samantha McGlone said a variation of this while I was watching Ironman Kona, she said the fastest way home is to run home. That's how she keeps herself moving once the voices in her head start telling her to walk. Hearing her statement was both a blessing and a curse. I replay her statement over and over as I run and believe it or not it works. I just keep going mile after mile, my legs aren't tired, I'm not hurting, ok well sometimes I am but I tell myself otherwise.
When I see the likes of Rudy Garcia-Tolsen who happens to be a double amputee competing in full Ironman competitions, I realize that there is not a damn thing wrong with me and it pushes me a little harder. He inspires me to keep going just the thought of him and his story. He is definitely worth googling to view his story. Be forewarned, he may inspire you to sign up for something totally insane.
Yesterday as I stepped out on to the road, the temperature was 63 so of course the road was calling my name. The time 6:45 a.m. The air was crisp, humidity down and I was on a mission. Having completed sixteen miles on Saturday in 2:26:33 I did not know if I was going to feel like much out on the road, however on Monday I was about to pound out eleven miles in a little over an hour and a half. Tuesday I just decided I would go out for a while even if the run ended up being a short five miles. I attached my Garmin 305 to my wrist and I was off. I was in awe that I had no pain. So two miles turned into four until it became a game of beating the clock because unfortunately I do have to work and could not stay out all day running. Work is probably my saving grace because if I didn't have to go in I more than likely would have stayed out there on the road all day yesterday. When I finished I had run a little over ten miles in an 1:20.
I love sharing my stories of accomplishment with people. No bragging is intended because it is all about hard work and dedication, there is no quick way to improvement. I am reminded of the Lance Armstrong quote about his cycling, it follows:
"This is my body, and I can do whatever I want to it. I can push it; Study it; Tweak it; Listen to it. Everybody wants to know what I am on. What am I on? I am on my bike busting my ass six hours a day; What are YOU on?"
I sat down the other day a figured up the amount of hours a week I dedicate to training. My average weekly training time is twenty to twenty-four hours a week. I am not complaining in the least bit about the time required in order to reach my goals. I was aware when I signed up for events that I would have to be completely determined, disciplined and dedicated.
Most importantly that my family is completely understanding an supportive of my decision to tap into my athletic side, well insanity. They support me, and cheer me on. Of course Nik tries to balance out my workouts by what I call guarding me to make sure I don't over do it and putting me on exercise restriction. I would not be able to commit to these events without them.
My ultimate goal is to show my children and those around me that they can achieve anything they set their minds to as long as they work hard to attain the goal, because there are no shortcuts.
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