My group of Batons is dwindling somewhat, which is disappointing, but I'd rather accentuate the positive. The remaining members are progressing by leaps and bounds and I'm just about ready to push them out of the nest, figuratively speaking.
They're still doing the run/walk combination, and we are scheduled to continue various R/W combinations until April 30. But I believe most of them are ready to make the transition to running a complete mile or two non-stop RIGHT NOW! I'm not so sure they agree with me, but I can see through their doubt and I BELIEVE in their ability.
The human body is capable of so much more than we can imagine, and we are frequently limited by our subconsious. While I believe it's prudent to follow the sage advice of Dr. Bob and all of the other coaches at PIM who preach moderation, I also believe there are times when you need to lay it on the line and suck up the discomfort along the lines of Jack's recent email about "sandbagging". By extending yourself outside of your comfort zone, you will develop new boundaries of comfort.
The key is knowing the difference between discomfort (which lies in the brain) and pain (which lies in the joints, muscles and cardiovascular system). As a new runner I'm not sure I'm even qualified to tell that difference in my own body. And I'd never go so far as to tell one of my Batons if they were experiencing discomfort instead of pain. It's up to each person to arm themselves with knowledge, and make that decision themselves. Running legend, Dr. George Sheehan, put it best:
"Life is the great experiment. Each of us is an experiment of one-observer and subject-making choices, living with them, recording the effects."
So my Batons, follow this recipe: Soak in advice and knowlege, and season that with your individual experiences. Let that bake in your head, and it will rise to levels you never imagined.
On another related note, I listen to a podcast called Phedippidations. The host, Steve Runner, is a self professed "goofy, middle-of-the-pack runner" who shares his experiences and expertise about running in a very entertaining and personal way. He is truly a champion of the common runner -- that's you and me -- and nearly every episode has at least a few touching moments.
I've listened to all 150+ episodes, and I'd like to share my favorite with you. It's an inspirational tear jerker about Terry Fox, a Legend of Running. Whenever I'm feeling sorry for myself about being tired or uncomfortable while running, I think of Terry Fox. I hope you can dedicate a little more than an hour to listen to the whole show. If not, please consider listening to 29 minutes of the show that are specifically about Terry Fox.
You can find this show by going to http://www.steverunner.com and clicking the "Listen" button on the left side. Scroll to episode #46. You can also subscribe to the podcast through any aggregator. Email me if you need help.
parts about Terry Fox specifically:
0:00 - 2:30
4:45 - 27:15
31:45 - 36:00
There's a little Terry Fox in all of us.
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This Day Last Year (TDLY) - 2.79 miles, 26:14, 9:24 pace, Max HR = 148, Avg HR = 138.
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