mindfirerunner

Now. Now. We’re NOT going there, but let’s face it. We train. We plan. We do everything we think we are supposed to do in hopes of doing the absolute best come race day. Or, do we? I’m guilty. I run the same route almost every day and when it comes time for long runs I don’t typically want to stray from the norm because I know what my times should be and I try to stay within a target range. Running on dirt roads and hills does not typically help me stay within my target range. Over the past several weeks though, I’ve been trying to break out of my running routine. I’ve been trying some new routes and definitely enjoying the scenery, though my times have been slipping a little. It’s hard for me to stop looking at my watch and start looking at the views. So, do I really train well? The race course is most definitely going to be different than the route that I run day in and day out around my house. So today I ventured out, and kept the watch running.

I used to really enjoy my long runs and getting as far away from everything as possible. I would do an out-and-back route that would take me so far north of “town” that I would see nature in its most untouched and majestic state. I loved these runs. It was harder to plan for because I didn’t have water available so I would have to take a fuel belt with me, and running with a fuel belt, watch, headphones, etc., just really isn’t my idea of escaping. Today was yet another beautiful Colorado day with temps that managed to get into the 40s. I waited and planned my entire day around getting on the road early afternoon to enjoy the peak of sunshine and warmth. I went out with one route in mind, but somewhere mid-through I decided to break out of my normal pattern and push myself to become a stronger, more adaptive runner. I knew that running on dirt roads and adding in more hills wouldn’t help my time any today, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I made one 4-mile loop and then decided to branch out and see what was beyond my normal turning-around point. So I ran…and I kept running. It was beautiful. It was quiet. The only thing I heard was my heart beating and my feet hitting the dirt road. I could see the entire mountain range and was more focused on that than on my watch. It was a tough run, and there were a lot of “rolling” hills (don’t let that word fool you). I know that the run I did today will make me a stronger runner. I get so nervous before a race that I get sick to my stomach, lose my appetite and can’t sleep. It’s more than physical training; it’s mental training. And that little bug in my ear telling me that I didnt’ train well enough because I didn’t get outside of my comfort zone just got squashed today.

I read an article recently where a reader asked the question of whether or not they should even run in a race because they were worried that they would finish dead last, that the course would close, and that they’d be left there all alone. I loved the author’s response of “Who cares?”. You run for you! And, if the race course director has any experience and history putting on races, he or she would know that the course doesn’t close until the last person crosses the finish line. Unfortunately, we don’t always feel like we have that support, but don’t let the fear of not finishing stop you from starting. You never know, you might just stop long enough to enjoy the views around you.

Strasburg Dirt Road Run