I went on a “training run” this weekend. Training run is in quotes because it was only 3 miles, or rather about 3 miles short of my intended distance, or two miles short of my at least try to go this far mileage. I have only myself to blame for my laziness, too. I couldn’t blame the weather because it was finally tolerable! It was cool enough to wear a long-sleeved compression shirt as a base-layer, there weren’t any crazy Las Vegas valley winds, and the sun shone brightly. However in my usual old ways, I managed to find an excuse for only trudging on for 3 miles — I forgot to put on some face sunscreen. The hat I wore didn’t provide enough coverage for the sides of my face which already have signs of sun damage. I imagined the sun spots growing darker and larger as I took each step! If I had stayed to run longer, that would have meant irreparable damage! AHHHH! (Vanity).
My concern for premature ageing aside (read: wrinkles), I figured even if I had had put sunscreen on, I might have found another excuse to stop at three miles: My legs felt heavy. I didn’t bring any water. I started late, it was getting warmer…
Which brings me to the topic of my post — managing expectations. Maybe I thought that just because I had done a race the weekend before — a supposedly eyeopening and slightly painful half marathon — that I would suddenly have the fitness level of someone who had been running for weeks, or even months. But as my friend, Kara Goucher, had been quoted in an article recently, “You can’t do in a race what you haven’t prepared for.” So finishing a race wouldn’t magically elevate my fitness either. >_< Delusion erased.
I’ve finally accepted that I have a long way to go to return (or get close enough) to the same level of fitness I had a year ago — where I broke 3 of my 4 personal bests. I should also expect myself to start out slow again and just be patient with my progress. This means getting the thought of any personal bests for the remainder of the year out of my head. Instead, my goal should will be to finish strong and injury-free. I’ll look at the two trail runs, and LV half as events that will contribute to my fitness bank, as I focus on training once more for the LA Marathon. And since 2015 is my 10 year runniversary, I’ll need to hash out a realistic plan on signing up for, training, and running the race that started it all… the Chicago Marathon.
I leave you now (and myself) with another quote; this time from author Robert H. Lauer. “Nothing worthwhile ever happens quickly and easily. You achieve only as you are determined to achieve… and as you keep at it until you have achieved.”
