What are you training for?

“What are you training for?”

A few years ago a friend posed this question when we decided to go out for a run together.

I wasn’t sure how to reply. I was just running. No plan, just running.

“Nothing really, I am just running.”

Their question stayed with me after that day. I couldn’t seem to shake it.

Later that day we talked about goal setting, and how important creating a set of goals can be to focus our lives, our activities, and our energy.

In the past year I set a goal to run a “longer than my normal” race.

A goal that would require discipline, time, and a plan.

A goal that would require activity despite the weather, feelings, or attitude.

A goal that would require moving past obstacles and fear.

That day is almost here, and the race will end. So will the training. My mind and body are looking forward to a little rest.

But, part of me doesn’t quite know what to do when the goal is complete. There is a strange sense of loss when you return to a normal routine after you have been pursuing hard after a goal. The training that once felt like a burden, is now savored because the end is near.

Maybe I just need to keep asking my friend’s question, but not limit it to running.

“What are you training for?”

Having an answer to that question for additional aspects of life may be just what we need.

 

But We Ran

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Running this winter has been hard. Layer upon layer. Attempts to cover every inch of exposed surfaces. Runs when temperatures dropped from single digits to zero and below before we ended.

But we ran.

The combination of record cold and record snow has combined to create what we are affectionately calling “winter fatigue.”

But we ran.

This has not been our fastest year. Many of our times have slowed. We became sick, tired, frustrated, injured, and cold.

But we ran.

We ran on days when it was dark. We ran on days when the wind almost stopped all forward progress.

But we ran.

Despite spring arriving on the calendar, we have had near record cold again. Winter seems to want to keep us in a state of hibernation. Days that should be in the 40s and 50s have been in the 30s.

But we ran.

What is coming our way next?

More weather, more illness, more injury, more road blocks, more [insert term here] issues?

I am not sure. There is only one thing I know for sure.

We will run.

 

No Bad Runs

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Running can be hard.

Some runs feel amazing.

Everything clicks, your body responds, and you just go.

Other runs don’t feel so great.

Your legs feel like cement, that weird [knee, foot, ankle, back, thigh, or toe] pain is back, and you struggle.

Sometimes you feel young beyond your years.

Other times you wonder if you are getting too old to run.

Sometimes you get a personal best.

Other times you are afraid to look at the time.

We can be tempted to label these “other” runs.

“Today was a bad run.”

“I can’t believe what a bad run I had today.”

“I have had a bad run three times this week.”

Who said every run would be easy?

Who said we wouldn’t struggle, doubt, or wrestle?

Each run means that you actually went out and ran.

Each run is another run under your belt.

Each run becomes part of your history, your experience, your life.

Each run doesn’t limit the next one.

Some runs feel amazing.

Other runs don’t feel so great.

There are no bad runs.

 

Decisions versus Feelings

Whether running or life in general, I have noticed a pattern. Feelings can interfere with our decisions

Feelings can disrupt us.

Feelings often provide the much desired excuse to stop moving forward.

Recently I have just been observing how often I hear myself or others verbalizing how feelings have the veto power over our decisions.

Here is what I found: we say these things all the time.

“I am not sure if I will feel like running later.”

“I will let you know how I feel before I decide.”

“I don’t know if I feel up to doing 6 miles today.”

“Let’s see how we feel before we say yes.”

Who gave feelings this power over us? Who said feelings are ahead of everyone else in the line of importance? I understand that feelings are part of the mix, but when did feelings take the chair at the end of the table? The corner office? When did feelings start running the show?

After noticing this pattern during a recent conversation, I couldn’t help but bring it up.

“I heard you say multiple times that this decision is dependent on how you feel. What is preventing you from making the decision now?”

“Multiple times? Really?”

“Yup.” (I know, I know, great follow-up.)

“Well, I guess it is really fear. Fear of not being able to do it. Fear of not being successful after I put myself out there.”

Fear.

One of the most disruptive of feelings. Fear seems to be elbowing its way to the front of the feelings line.

There is a little secret to put feelings in their place.

Decisions.

Decisions to go for that run ahead of time.

Decisions to take on the project.

Decisions to take a risk.

Decisions to push yourself.

I heard a great quote about feelings:

“Feel what you feel. But do not trust them as objective reality.”

When feelings start elbowing their way to the front of the line, try making a few decisions to put them back where they belong.

P.S. Our little running team made the decision to run the other day when it was below 20 degrees and dropping almost a degree every 15 minutes.

Moving Forward

 

Moving-Forward

(Image Courtesy of capreform.eu)

The other day I had the privilege of going for a run with my youngest brother and my youngest daughter. We don’t see him very often because we live so far away, and running gave us time to connect just the three of us.

We ran. We laughed. We joked. We connected.

The conversation moved to something that we had just passed by.

It was then my daughter provided a bit of wisdom.

“It is hard to look backwards when you are moving forward.”

A simple statement.

A profound idea.

Sometimes the past isn’t satisfied with not being the star of the show.

Our lives are in the second or third act, but that first act keeps walking back on stage, interrupting and inserting itself into the present.

She was right. 

It is hard to look backwards when you are moving forward.

Just think about what 2015 might be if we keep that in mind.

 

 

 

 

A Little Further?

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(Image courtesy of Google Maps and Screen Capture)

A planned team run.

A simple goal. 10 miles. A longer run.

The long route concludes on our regular course.

The roads we run on each week.

A Little Further?

Three simple words.

Three simple words posed as a question.

Three simple words posed as a question to push yourself.

Three simple words posed as a question to push yourself and stretch your goals.

A choice.

Go straight and meet the goal.

Go left and stretch.

A Little Further?

Yes.

Tired.

Comfort running on familiar roads. Knowing every little crack, sidewalk, and turn.

New equation: 10 + 3 (words) = 12.

Imagine what those three words could do for us.

Imagine pushing a little more with your job, life, relationships, family, clients, customers, partners, friends, and goals.

A Little Further?

Yes.