Few things are more satisfying to me than having a plan and seeing it through to completion. I thrive with an agenda, and I’m baffled how anyone accomplishes anything without Excel spreadsheets and To-Do lists. Beyond that, I like tangible results and being able to look back and see what I’ve done. I take before … Continue reading Flecti Non Frangi
Tag: running
Detour
Had 2019 gone according to plan, I would have pushed myself all spring with the goal of setting a personal record at the end of April. I would have woken up early every Saturday to run increasingly long distances. I would have followed my training map diligently with a culmination of a gloriously fast 26.2. … Continue reading Detour
The Pains of Taper Madness
Two weeks ago I ran a mess of a 20-miler. I was exhausted, feeling low, and stuck in the mud. I questioned why I keep putting myself through the struggles of marathon training. Running hurts. It takes up all my time. I’m constantly tired and hungry (a combination that never ends well). Then last weekend … Continue reading The Pains of Taper Madness
No Mud, No Lotus
The path to success is usually by way of repetition. Musicians practice scales. Basketball players drill free throws. Students learn vocabulary words with flash cards. As we all learned in elementary school, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. We drill good behavior until it becomes second nature so that we can perform … Continue reading No Mud, No Lotus
The Optimist
I don't consider myself an optimist. Chipper affirmations are usually met with a wince and a heavy amount of side-eye. What may be intended as positivity is received as trite, simplistic, and belittling. Oh you have a problem? Chin up, sunshine. Everything happens for a reason. Life doesn't just work out because we smile and … Continue reading The Optimist
Best Laid Plans
Plan A is lovely. Plan A is preferred. Plan A is the best intentions of our best prepared best self. There's a reason it's at the top of the list. There's also a reason why we usually end up on plan B (or C or D...). Life is too messy for Plan A. The A … Continue reading Best Laid Plans
Trust the Process
If there's more, I want it. There it is, my approach to running and entertainment and work and love, wrapped up in six little words. The six-word memoir is one of my favorite writing exercises. Inspired by Hemingway's legendary short story "For sale: baby shoes, never worn," six-word stories force the writer to focus on … Continue reading Trust the Process
Up and Over
Hills demand respect. The hill won't budge, and it won't change its incline. The hill doesn't care that it's hard. It doesn't care that you're tired. The hill was here first. If you decide to climb, the change needs to come from you. I've been running hills more regularly recently, and they are completely kicking my … Continue reading Up and Over
No Alarms. No Surprises.
No. I'll pass. Thanks, but no thanks. If you were planning on inviting me to try that new restaurant, or join you at a new weightlifting class, or taste this delicious new recipe you invented, the answer is no. The marathon is next weekend, and I'm taking no risks. I'm as boring and predictable as … Continue reading No Alarms. No Surprises.
Mixing It Up
Racing is made up of lines -- starting lines, finish lines, point-to-point courses. But training for a marathon is anything but linear. Four weeks ago I completed a half marathon. Logically speaking, this means I'm halfway there for marathon training, right? Wrong. While it may have been tempting to use the 13.1 mile race as a launchpad … Continue reading Mixing It Up
