Running is an exercise in solitude.
It puts the body, mind and spirit to the test.
It brings out the lone wolf.
Grrrrr...
Last week I wrote about hill training and that phrase that kept running through my head: "you can do ANYTHING for three minutes"
Hill repeats are one thing. Long distance running is an entirely different beast. You might be able to do it for three minutes but can you do it for three hours?
Can you push your body when it's tired, your mind when it's making excuses and your spirit when it's ready to give up?
It's an important lesson to learn. To run distance, you can't just train your body. You have to train your mind and harness your spirit. That way, when one of them is ready to give up, the other two can take the reins for a while. Teamwork, balance, partnership, motivation - they must all come from within when you run.
Because even in a sea of 10,000 runners, when you run, you run alone. Even in a pack, you are responsible for yourself. Only you can get yourself across that finish line.
Cultivate your lone wolf.
Loping across the tundra. Focused on the horizon.
Tireless.
Strong.
Beautiful.
WONDERFUL post!!! this goes through my mind when I'm running. "mind over matter"
ReplyDeleteWhen I ran my first marathon, I discovered my body wasn't geared to run longer than 4 hours as I had visions of throwing myself onto train tracks, had started singing aloud, Bon Jovi no less, and I was definitely making deals with my legs. I will never put you through this again, I told them ... and now here I am training for yet another marathon :D But I'm determined not to run quite as long!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog.