6 tough miles

Make that 5.8. :) It's been a long, long, long time since I actually ran the distance I set out to run. Well, is 7 weeks really that long a time? Seems like FOREVER to me. It wasn't pretty but I got 'er done and had fun doing it.

The crowds were thick at Memorial Park and so was the air. The breeze couldn't quite decide which way to blow. At times it was right in my face and man, did that feel good!!! Other times it was still. I plodded along at >14 min pace but kept fairly consistent through mile 4. I took a couple of walk breaks and finished the last .5 at a bit faster clip. I don't have any splits as the Garmin was powerless. Total time from the watch was 1:26. I'm like SteveB. I wish the Garmin had an auto-off. But I guess that wouldn't make sense. It would be powering down in the middle of a run.

So, I'm on plan through Monday (Day 1). Starting the week off on plan is a good start. hmmm...don't know if that makes sense. Here's what the rest of the week looks like.

More pondering the previous post...

From re-reading the previous post, I don't think I did a very good job conveying the point of my previous post. The point was not about why running is NOT important enough to commit a lot of time to. The point was why, for me, running IS an important part of my life and why I think it is important enough to commit much time and energy to. You see, for me, running for the sake of running frankly does nothing for me. I guess you would say in that respect, I'm not a purist. It's how running affects other aspects of my life, my "real" priorities if you will, that motivates me to put in the time and effort it takes to improve.

For a time, in my younger years, basketball was my priority. I was a purist when it came to basketball. I played every day. I watched as many baskeetball games as I possibly could. And I was good. I could play pretty much with the best of 'em. One time, the Celtics were in town and a few of the players came over to my church to practice. Scott Wedman, Rick Carlisle, and Greg Kite were at the gym and needed one more for a game of 2-on-2. Now, I'm not saying I was NBA material but I actually held my own and had a couple of nice assists to Greg who slammed it home. I could just hear Johnny Most..."Kaiser comes down the court, between the legs, fake. He threads the needle passing to Kite...SLAM!!!!" I got started with basketball a little (the middle of my sophomore year) or I would have definitely played college ball. Basketball was plainly and simply a priority in my life. Maybe #1 or #2.

Then, when I joined the Navy and started working nights at the Naval Hospital in Groton, CT, golf became my "thing." I'd work nights, play golf during the day. In between, I'd sleep a little. I even practiced putting in the lab at work when things were slow during the wee hours. Golf was my #1 priority, I must admit. Really, nothing else mattered to me.

So, my point is that I spent a lot of time playing basketball. I spent a lot of time at golf in the past as well. But the reason I spent that time is that those things were priorities in my life. They were tops. With running, though it's different. No, I'm not saying I spend any less time running. I'm not saying I'm not committed to the sport. I'm not saying I don't want to take the time to do the hard work that it takes to get better. I'm not saying it's not important to me. Quite the opposite. I will put in the time. I will push myself. I will study the sport. I will invest in good equipment. I will get up early or stay late or whatever it takes to get better but not because running in and of itself is a priority in my life. Not because it's #1 or #2 like basketball and golf were. It's because I believe running makes me a better father, a better husband, a better employee, a better friend, and a better disciple of Christ. I make running "a priority" because of how it enhances my "real" priorities.

I hope that explains the previous post. It wasn't a "I'm not running much lately because I'm busy and have other priorities and my kids come first and my job comes first and God comes first" kind of post. I was trying to convey my thoughts on how running fits into MY life and why I think it's important enough to spend Saturday mornings doing long runs, to get up at the butt-crack of dawn for an easy 3 miler before work, to race and try to PR every time, to set goals, to take time off from work the Monday after a long, long training run, to spend money on good equipment, to put in 10 to sometimes 15 hours a week driving to the park, stretching, doing a training run, stretching some more, driving back home. Running is a thread that weaves through so many aspects of my life and improves my relationships and my work. That's why I do it. That's what motivates me. Now, I'm all fired up and may just go out in the hall and do a few laps aroun the 10th floor here.

Later!