One foot after another
I have come to that point in my marathon training where I repeatedly find myself asking the question, “Why am I doing this???”
This morning was definitely no exception. I had driven 6 ½ hours roundtrip yesterday to complete an all day training session with staff of a new program we are opening up. I didn’t run yesterday, leaving the house before 5:30 am and arriving after 8:30 pm. When the alarm went off this morning at 5:00, I hit the snooze of course. (and then again and again). But when I finally DID get up at 5:30, I asked the question again, “Why am I doing this?”
I read a few months ago that the hardest part of running a marathon is not the event itself, but the weeks of training leading up to the race. I have never been a very disciplined person. (I like to think of myself as a perfectionist who just leaves a few things undone because I don’t have time to do them right!) So sticking to this training has been really challenging. It was easier when the miles were not adding up to 35 or 40 a week and long runs were not so taxing.
I can REALLY tell that this week’s 16-miler took a lot out of me. The easy run Monday was not so easy and the 4 mile tempo run this morning was more of a struggle than a 9 minute mile at this distance is usually.
So I’m tired. And I, honestly, am not looking forward to an 18-miler sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning. I mean…18 miles!!!! 18 miles??? “Why am I doing this?” But then I remind myself that this is all an exercise in discipline and I am just going to continue plodding along – one foot after another. Seems like a good Forrest Gump quote would fit nicely here! :-)
P.S. Thanks for all the encouraging words! It helps!!!
posted by Shane (mississip) at 8:03 AM
4 Comments:
I am asking myself the same thing right now. I have already run one mearthon this year do I REALLY need to do another??
Keep up the great work. You are doing awesome.
2:16 PM
Yep . . . I find myself asking questions all the time. The bad thing is that the one question leads to another and then another. It is sort of like faith . . . either you do it without questioning or you open a big can of worms that will lead you down a spriraling road to confusion (pretty deep, huh?).
Shane, it all about motivation. The only one who can answer the "why" question is you. My usual answers are "I want to", "I need to", "I have to". Notice that all my sandard answers have the "I" in it. I am not a philosopher and I barely consider myself a runner but this I know-marathon training is a selfish, challenging thing. I am struggling with the same issues as you. We all do.
Have a great long run this weekend!
5:29 AM
the nice thing about your plight is that it will go away. It's cyclic... it'll come and go. So hang in there and you'll get focused.
10:08 AM
Once you get through your 18 miler, you'll have yet another significant goal behind you. If you find it hard to believe that you actually ran 16 miles non-stop, wait to you complete 18. This will put you on a whole new level. Your feelings as to "why am I putting myself through this" will cycle with your training schedule. Some weeks you'll be wondering why there aren't more hard workouts on the schedule, others will drag by. But when you line up on that start line in the best shape ever, you'll all of a sudden remember why you are doing this.
Disconnect the sooze button. You're doing great.
Are you eating eneough? That is, are you getting eneough carbohydrate in your diet?
9:56 PM
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