Running Day - Learning to Run

Yesterday June 05, Running Day. Are there any Soccer Day or Swimming Day or Biking Day? I do not think so. Why a Running Day, so?

Anyways most running friends were posting fantastic long and hard workouts online. I had “just” to run 15 min alternating 100m EZ run with walks that ends in little bit more than a mile. It sounds really easy, however it is not for me at this time. It is just right since I have to apply some specific guidelines on every step. 

I still have on my mind those days that started with 10 miles or more and those “short runs” when 9.99 miles or under. Is my body missing them? Not really. Is my mind missing them? Not at all. Little bit worried about it, but not so much. I have learnt patience and building up are the way to go. 

I signed for a race in a couple days. It is “only a 5k”. I have ran that race everal times. First year I broke 20’ first time, second I was under injury and couldn’t run, 3^rd coming back from injury used as test run, 4^th this time starting a new plan. What is going to happen?

I used to warm-up and cool down for that distance… However 5k is going to be my long distance run this time. Could I try to go hard? For sure. Should I?  

This caterpillar is working on something very specific and having fun. 4 years ago when I started running I used to think “I need to learn how to run”, meaning how to run faster. Tried really hard all the time and finally learnt that learning to run is more a holistic approach that eventually should end up with faster runs. 

As my favorite runners do, kids, just follow directions. Do not look yourself too much caterpillar BUT listen to your body. Do not hurt yourself, have fun that is what you are running for. 

Ps: having FUN to run =  to run FASTer BUT not only one time or only one race

  

Every journey begins with one small step

Whole mile run today! Was it easy? Was it beautiful? NO & NO but YES & YES.

Know thyself! A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever observes himself arrests his own development. A caterpillar who wanted to know itself well would never become a butterfly. ~Andre Gide

Ø  I know "It will become easier and beautiful", even if "shoe-naked".

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. ~Author Unknown

Ø  It is not the first time I have to start again. However it is the first time I AM NOT  in a rush planning to skip steps and get there faster, no matter how much pain. “Just do it” changed to “Just do it right”.

Turn it IN, OFF & AROUND!

I used to say I was going to write books when I was in college. They were going to be non-fiction books, maybe about Marketing because “I knew more than teachers”. Time and life moved through different stages. From college to corp. jobs, then a mom and a runner. I still think some day I will write a book. Not about running, but inspired from becoming a runner.

Why do I run? Please do not ask me! As acrobat “Tumblinist” I always hated running. Running was just a warm-up or the ugly out of season stuff. It wasn’t even fun to run to start the tumbling series! I was always feeling I was going to fall…

Anyways, running finally became my fitness activity and as I started racing and making great friends, I ended up as a runner. I started running with some talented runners, getting faster, winning races and wanting more. As a very experienced runner once told me “There are many physiological stages you are going to go through”. Even I didn’t understand what he meant at that time, I have kept his thought ON and now I can tell I have also lived it IN:

PHASE 1. Running consistently. Goals. Different workouts. Get faster. Go Longer. Endurance and mileage. Go over it! You can make it. Never easy. More, more & more!

PHASE 2. Reached a plateau. Pain & Injuries. Listen to your body. Adapt plans. Training plans are plans. Numbers work. Less can be more. Form is important and can be fixed.

PHASE 3. Time to put all together. Every single thing you do has a purpose. Even “no-running is part of training”. Some runners can be fit all the time. Others no. And for those Periodization. Peak when it counts. Choose what it is going to count for you and go for it.

Turn it IN, OFF & AROUND!