So, as I stated a couple of posts back, my wife and I have some serious goals for this year that include a 50K and two marathons. Of course we will throw in several 10k's, half-marathons, and 30K's. So I had set up my training schedule for the first event, a 50K at the end of April, and was on target the first week of training. However, as stated in my last post, I felt a pop in my calf crossing a creek.
The good news is that it is a mild calf strain and that I should be up and running next week (it is still a little noticeable when I stretch). The bad news is that we have been having great weather and we are expected to be in the 60's a couple of times this week.
So I headed out today for lunch and am sitting on a dock off the Embarcadero and getting jealous of the people running by. However, I realized something, there are a lot more runners than usual. Even more interesting is that there is a greater diversity in fitness levels in the runners than usual. I mean, compared to most trails I run in the Bay Area, I sometimes get intimidated by some of the runners at lunch even when I am maxing out at my 8:30 to 9:30 pace.
So the above phrase came to mind. It is a derivative of the phrase " the best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry" from Of Mice and Men. I think it is so interesting that beginning in January there are a lot of runners. Then, after a few weeks, it flattens out and you go back to seeing the same stalwarts either training for something just running because of the love of it.
It is kind of the same way Thanksgiving morning. Have you ever run on that day, other than a Turkey Trot? There are so many families out exercising, burning off some calories, in the anticipation of the beginning of the holiday feasting season.
I think it goes back to why you run. For my wife and I, first and foremost, it is to keep us healthy. We do not want to slip back into bad habits. We sign-up for two or three big events so we are always training for something. To keep it from being a chore, we mix it up with a lot of trail and road runs, go exploring on the different trail systems in the Bay Area (we are blessed with thousands of miles of trails) and make sure we include the kids, running also or riding their bikes.
However, I think sometimes when you have the wrong goal in front of you running becomes a means to an ends. If Your goal is to run your a marathon this year, whats next? You need to loose a few pounds. When you reach that goal, will you stop running and go back to old habits?
I am definitely looking forward to getting back to my running schedule next week. And definitely we will be attaining our goals for this year. But I do recognize that, in no time, I too could be one of those runners, if I do not keep focus on those goals.
So what do you do when your plans go awry?
The good news is that it is a mild calf strain and that I should be up and running next week (it is still a little noticeable when I stretch). The bad news is that we have been having great weather and we are expected to be in the 60's a couple of times this week.
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| Today, the Embarcadero looked liked the SF Marathon! |
So I headed out today for lunch and am sitting on a dock off the Embarcadero and getting jealous of the people running by. However, I realized something, there are a lot more runners than usual. Even more interesting is that there is a greater diversity in fitness levels in the runners than usual. I mean, compared to most trails I run in the Bay Area, I sometimes get intimidated by some of the runners at lunch even when I am maxing out at my 8:30 to 9:30 pace.
So the above phrase came to mind. It is a derivative of the phrase " the best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry" from Of Mice and Men. I think it is so interesting that beginning in January there are a lot of runners. Then, after a few weeks, it flattens out and you go back to seeing the same stalwarts either training for something just running because of the love of it.
It is kind of the same way Thanksgiving morning. Have you ever run on that day, other than a Turkey Trot? There are so many families out exercising, burning off some calories, in the anticipation of the beginning of the holiday feasting season.
I think it goes back to why you run. For my wife and I, first and foremost, it is to keep us healthy. We do not want to slip back into bad habits. We sign-up for two or three big events so we are always training for something. To keep it from being a chore, we mix it up with a lot of trail and road runs, go exploring on the different trail systems in the Bay Area (we are blessed with thousands of miles of trails) and make sure we include the kids, running also or riding their bikes.
However, I think sometimes when you have the wrong goal in front of you running becomes a means to an ends. If Your goal is to run your a marathon this year, whats next? You need to loose a few pounds. When you reach that goal, will you stop running and go back to old habits?
I am definitely looking forward to getting back to my running schedule next week. And definitely we will be attaining our goals for this year. But I do recognize that, in no time, I too could be one of those runners, if I do not keep focus on those goals.
So what do you do when your plans go awry?
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