I have been running now for nearly 30 years. Not always competitively but almost always running. I run for a lot of reasons, most of which you all can relate to. Fitness, competitiveness, stress relief, weight management (be honest, all runners worry about their weight, even though we all could pretty much eat whatever we want!), fun, love of the outdoors....there are probably more but those are the big ones. As you know I just recently decided to enter and race in the Chicago Marathon nearly 12 years after my last competitive race. Sure I have done a few races since then, but none quite this big. Some of the reasons I stopped racing, I am sure many of you can relate to as well. Got married and started a family, opened a business, lack of sleep, too many other things were more important, reduced competitiveness. So, I have basically been "running" for the last 12 years and have not really "trained" at all. What is the difference you ask? Well, surprisingly it just kind of occurred to me in the last 2 weeks. "Running" is merely the act of going out and completing the task of running. And it is my belief the motivations behind running are very different from training. I ran, "to stay in shape", "to keep up with my high school xc and track kids", "to relieve stress", "to escape life", " to burn calories". And in those 12 years I can honestly say I truly enjoyed only about 50% of those runs. Sure I was satisfied at my effort and what I was doing. Sure I enjoyed being away from work and outside. But for the most part the runs were laborious. They were painstaking. They took as much mental strength as they did physical. So I found it funny then, that as soon as I set a goal, Chicago Marathon, and my running all the sudden had a bigger purpose, I have discovered a new found enjoyment for running/training! And perhaps not so surprising, my runs have become less painstaking and more focused. Less laborious and more satisfying. I feel better, my legs have more "snap". Hills that for years now have "owned" me, I know feel like I can power up with relative ease. So I think when you can focus and set a goal, and thus give your runs purpose, all of the sudden running becomes training. And each effort means more, is more enjoyable and satisfying, and almost instantly your mental outlook on your training seems brighter and more exciting as well. As a personal trainer and coach I see this all the time in my clients. If they have a specific goal we are working towards, everything seems easier and more enjoyable. Results matter and feedback is important. Those without a specific goal....seem to have higher incidence of missing workouts, canceling last minute, slacking during the workouts. So if you don't have a goal, SET ONE TODAY! If you find yourself struggling in your workouts, be them bike rides, running, swimming, paddling, or weight lifting, and you just don't seem to have a fire within, then evaluate WHY you are "training". If you can't come up with a concrete, tangible reason that allows you to gauge progress and aim for a culmination, so to speak, then you need to reevaluate what and why you are doing what you are doing. Goals are important in life, in training, in our jobs and our families! If you don't have goals, you are like a ship with no destination, left to be led by the waves and the tides. You then lack control, and are forced to deal with things you otherwise might not want to deal with. So set your coordinates and get going! One day at a time, but with full effort, energy and excitement! I promise you will enjoy the journey a whole lot more!
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