the hurt
Yesterday, as I was counting down the laps on the track, I remembered the hurt. The hurt marathon training brings.
After a few months post marathon, that hurt kind of flits from your brain and all you remember is the crowd, the city and that you ran a freakin' marathon. You forget how hard running 16-20 miles by yourself really is. You forget how much the hill workouts and SPEED stuff will hurt and make you want to QUIT.
And then I thought about our coach and the many other professional athletes that live in Tracktown, USA (Eugene,OR) and all the ones you see at the Olympic Games and realize that these people feel the hurt 24/7/365 because they're always focused on that next critical workout to get them to their highest level. It's their job.
Anyway, I guess you could say I just had a little pity party for the pain that was being inflicted on my legs and kept chuggin'. It was quit and complete a so-so workout w/ a few miles of jogging at the end OR it was suck it up and get to the finish line. It's all about remembering that these workouts will make me/you/us stronger on race day, mentally and physically.
The same can be said for life and the crap we go through to be ready for the big stuff later on. Like that first heartbreak or friendship turned bad, it's all building for the adult stuff that will come along. So here's to being tough and sticking in there through the pain. Not the kind that beats you down so far you can't stand up again, but the pain that we bounce back from after a little ice, stretching and reflection.
Happy Friday and enjoy those runs! I'll be back to report how tomorrow's long ride goes.
After a few months post marathon, that hurt kind of flits from your brain and all you remember is the crowd, the city and that you ran a freakin' marathon. You forget how hard running 16-20 miles by yourself really is. You forget how much the hill workouts and SPEED stuff will hurt and make you want to QUIT.
And then I thought about our coach and the many other professional athletes that live in Tracktown, USA (Eugene,OR) and all the ones you see at the Olympic Games and realize that these people feel the hurt 24/7/365 because they're always focused on that next critical workout to get them to their highest level. It's their job.
Anyway, I guess you could say I just had a little pity party for the pain that was being inflicted on my legs and kept chuggin'. It was quit and complete a so-so workout w/ a few miles of jogging at the end OR it was suck it up and get to the finish line. It's all about remembering that these workouts will make me/you/us stronger on race day, mentally and physically.
The same can be said for life and the crap we go through to be ready for the big stuff later on. Like that first heartbreak or friendship turned bad, it's all building for the adult stuff that will come along. So here's to being tough and sticking in there through the pain. Not the kind that beats you down so far you can't stand up again, but the pain that we bounce back from after a little ice, stretching and reflection.
Happy Friday and enjoy those runs! I'll be back to report how tomorrow's long ride goes.
Comments
But it's so worth it, and it's a good life lesson to push through even when it's uncomfortable or a stretch assignment.
Good luck w/ your 75 mi ride this weekend!
Way to push through it! I'm excited for you and your ride tomorrow - I think you'll experience a new kind of hurt (although, you and the manfriend do go on some crazy bici adventures, maybe you already know that Hurt, ha) and I also think you'll do GREAT. Good luck!