“Perseverance is not a long race, it is a series of short races, one after the other.” – John Quincy Adams
Training for Bristol feels different. At the beginning of my running journey, I seemed to hit a nice cadence, to the point of elation after my first 9k run. Sure, I had to attempt it twice, (I had fumbled with my tracker and inadvertently reset that days program,) but on the day I cruised through the exercises and came home feeling as if there was more in the tank.
Now it seems as if I am running like a bag of sticks being tossed down a flight of stairs. It takes longer to get into any comfortable rhythm, even though I am considerably lighter than I was previously, I feel like a lump every time my foot hits the floor. All in all, there is less joy.
I know that this is a transition, both physically and mentally. Mentally, the light at the end of the tunnel is further away and the goal is whole scale above where I was aiming for before. This is a 17 week program and I want to run for 13 miles. Compared to previously when it was 9 weeks to run 5k. Different in every way. I wonder if the step change in duration and distance isn’t weighing heavily on my mind.
Physically I am aware of muscles being used more consistently that before. So, I now incorporate more focused stretching into my pre-run routine, even if it is only for 3k.
I feel ridiculously self conscious bending and stretching in the kitchen before setting out. But I am more aware of the impact of not preparing in this way. Specifically I have developed two tight hip flexors and wince as muscles are scraped across my legs in increasingly uncomfortable ways. Look, I’m 51. These things need working out, or I’m not going to be able to do what I set out to do. So, after giving myself a stern talking to on the topic of how being cool is something I should have stopped worrying about on my 30th birthday, I bend my legs and spine to unlock the kinks and always feel better for it.
This conflict is illogical. I know that stretching is going to be better for me, not just in the long term, but immediately as I set out on the run. But somehow I always have to talk myself into it. Ridiculous, ridiculous me.
Week 2, and I’m already talking about the niggles and complaints. I will get better at this, as I look forward to getting back to enjoying the run.
Be awesome to each other.
“It’s the imperfections that make things beautiful.” Jenny Han
