While reading Born to Run, I related to the part where one of the ultra runners mentioned that "burn" feeling he received, in the pit of his chest...how he loved that feeling.
I understood 100% what he meant.
But not when I run.
I get this when I play wallyball. Once I get it, I welcome it and feel that I'm in my game. I love this feeling. I live off this.
So, I wondered while reading this, why don't I feel the same "wonderment" when i get this feeling while running?
I ran track this past Thursday. I haven't done any speed since I stopped running last December. I typically like track: it's challenging and different. However, my track workouts for the past year have been *extremely* hard. And while I don't dislike them, I found them more and more intimidating.
I have outlined a program, based on my past plan, to ready myself for my first race of the year (a 5K). So Thursday, I decided to do a few 400s, continuous, at alternating pace (fast, slow, fast, slow, etc.).
I had low expectations. I figured I wouldn't make the 2:00 mn 400s, after being out of practice for so long.
But once I started, that burn came into play. It's a little different than the burn from wallyball, but not much.
I decided not to shun this burn and welcome it like I do in wallyball.
I didn't feel like I did anything much different in my stride...I just didn't push the pain away.
First lap: 1:58.
Really? It didn't feel that bad! Sure, I was breathing heavy at the end but I didn't pay much attention while I embraced the burn.
Second fast lap? 1:57.
Third...1:56.
Wow. This was a pretty great track workout. My slow 400s were slower than the goal pace but the key, for me, was just making the 'pain' comparable to the pain I gain in wallyball.
I love wallyball. And while I play, I don't feel anything. My attention is solely on that ball and winning that point. When I am done, I then have the awareness about what I just did: panting, chest burn, maybe a pain or two somewhere else. And then once the ball is in play, all is forgotten until the next break.
Why couldn't I do the same for my running?
We'll see. It seemed to work for me on Thursday. But that may be just a fluke.
Yes, you can do it! Do you remember when I told you that I really started making progress on the track when I embraced the pain? When you start looking forward to the Chase Run, then you'll know you are on your way.
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