Fitness Blah-g

[threadwalker]

I ran 5.5 miles yesterday. woot. I thought I was going to die. I was in that mental state where one voice was saying, "why are you working so hard? Can we walk now?" And the other was pushing for 30 more seconds. ugh. It's mentally exhausting. I finally got into my tunes and started to enjoy myself in the last 15 minutes. I even pulled off my target race-pace, 6.7 mph (8.57 min/mile). Yay!

And today's little post-run treat? Everything between my knees and my ankles is the Land of Ouch. Anyone who says it's the "Good Pain" is just being silly.

Later last night I was talking to a young man that I've known for 20 years. He's 28 now, going back to school to get into fitness stuff and thinking about doing triathlons. We talked about mental toughness, which got me to thinking about my morning run.

Sometimes mental toughness is just getting up on time in the morning. Sometimes it's taking the next step on the hike/run/walk when you'd rather be napping. Sometimes it's taking a deep, calming breath before losing your temper. Sometimes it's receiving criticism calmly and with an open mind when you didn't even realize there was a problem.

The thing about mental toughness is that you don't get there by accident just like you don't run 5 miles by accident; you get there because you have to work up to it which means life has been training you up and it probably wasn't fun.

So today as I head over to my Assertiveness training class, I am sending out kudos to all the people who are mentally tough. Because you rock.

Comments

[weenie100.livejournal.com]

Have you read any of Jeff Galloway's books or articles on running? His main points are 1) listen to your body, 2) if you take walk breaks you recharge, feel better, and can go further.

[weenie100.livejournal.com]

p.s. i'm still at 14/15 minute miles. not sure when/if i'm going to get faster, but it sure would be nice so that I could keep up with my buddies....