Week Four - Distraction

Mileage (miles per workout): 3 - 5 - 3 - 8

A yorkshire terrier versus a golden retriever didn’t seem like a fair fight but no one told the yorkie.  This was a great distraction for me.  I forgot completely I was running the end of three miles while watching this yorkie named Stanley growl, bark and strain on his leash to confront the retriever.  Before I knew it my run was over.  I felt like I could keep going and going and going.  Only I’m not a rabbit so I stopped.

Distractions were good as these training runs became more of a mental hurdle than a physical one.  Singing the chorus of a song became one of these distractions.  I listened to a song before I got out of my car and it stayed in my head during the entire run.  When I needed to concentrate on the task at hand I could and when I could let my mind wander it often broke into song.

Pace was even more important this week.  I wanted to set a pace I was comfortable with and to maintain it throughout the runs.  This was going to be practice for when I start my runs of more than ten miles.  It worked.  I got into my running rhythm during the first two miles.  The rhythm felt strong and I felt great.

The one time I let my pace get out of control almost landed me in the doctor’s office.  My entire left leg had sharp pains starting at the knee and traveling toward my hip when I put any pressure on it.  Now I’ve had knee problems before but had chosen on that particular day to not wear my knee brace.  I was only running three miles.  So I hobbled back home and made an ice bath.  I sat in it for around ten minutes.  Those were the longest ten minutes of my life.  The pain eventually subsided and I was good to go the next day.

T.S. Eliot once said, “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

So I kept going and proved to myself I would survive.  I was a runner.  The next step was to think of myself as a marathon runner.  As of now, I still need more convincing.

Things I learned this week:

First: Running is more mental than physical.

Last: Your actions can unknowingly influence others.  Take this for example.  A non-running friend of mine told me one morning she woke up earlier than normal and thought she should go for a run.  “Whoa!  Where did that come from?  I blame you.”

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