Weekly Running: Grateful for the Journey

 

The Complete Picture of Jogging and Gratitude for the Growth

My running schedule is nearing the end of the summer/fall session. This season I’ve been acting as a run lead for the 10 to 11 pace group. There are two of us. We take turns sending out the email on a weekly basis telling the others where to meet and sharing the route map. Mostly it’s been hot this year. We’re 3 weeks into October and we run consistently it weather above 70 degrees. For long runs this is tough. This late October season usually consists of cool mornings below 60 degrees. We’ve had maybe one or two weekends like that. That’s been the trickiest part to this late season, getting the hydration right.

In a lot of ways, warmer temperatures are wonderful for running. I love to wear tank tops when it’s warm. Those are the first things to go when it gets chilly. Figuring out the best way to dress in the winter is much tougher. Too many layers and you’ll sweat to death. Too few and you’ll be uncomfortably cold for the duration. I think the running schedule has a total of 4 more weeks before the end of the cycle. This one culminates in the Route 66 Marathon. Most of the participants sign up for this. It’s local and quite popular.

I’ve been going to Texas to do the Justice Run for 3 years in a row. The first two years, I did the full marathon. Last year I attempted the full and finished with a half. I ran out of steam near the midpoint and decided to call it early. The run is set up as an out and back for half marathoners, the full marathoners run the loop twice. It’s easy to bail if you feel sick or exhausted after the first loop.

This year I’m not even going to attempt the full marathon. I’m not ready. Frankly just the thought of doing such a grueling run in the heat makes me nauseous. Will it be warm in a week? If the previous few weeks are any indication, absolutely.

But to keep up the streak of consecutive runs, I’m still signed up and ready for a fourth year. I get to see my brother and his family anyway. Any distance is worth it. It’s like a little vacation anyway, and doing the run means I don’t miss any training.

As for this week, today was my last big  group run before my race and I was supposed to run 18 miles. I managed 12. This wasn’t a surprise, as I’ve been sick most of this week. Wednesday I went to La Fortune park for my usual 6 miles. After only a couple of miles I wanted to walk back to the car. 3 was my total and I barely got that in. After that rough start I decided to take the rest of the week off and let the allergies run their course. Considering the week, I’m fine with 12. I’ll do a few short ones this week before I leave for Texas however.

Everything in me wants to make excuses for why I’m not prepared to do a full marathon, but I feel like I’m at a plateau in my training. I’ve been on the same running plan for the last 4 years or so. I run more miles throughout the week than most people in my group. How do I know? I’ve asked them. One of the benefits of being in a group like this is comparing and contrasting your efforts to that of others. I’ve picked up advice about food and clothing, weather preparation and target heart rate. Jogging is thought of as a solo sport, but it can also be done in a community. It’s where growth happens.

In the interest of growth, I could add more miles to my weekly runs. But without waking up an hour earlier, I don’t have the time. There is an element of balance to everything in life and if I never run a full marathon at less than 4 and half hours, I can live with that. My purpose with jogging has been, from the beginning, to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep the weight off. Races are a way to keep me accountable, but my race time doesn’t sum up my effort. I know how much I’ve improved. And when the progress stalls, or plateaus, I have to rest in that effort.

Excuses won’t get me closer to my goal of completing a marathon while running the whole distance. For now at least, I’ll take my wins where I can and be grateful that I can run at all and feel God’s presence whatever the weather. Little reminders of where we’ve come, whenever we feel stuck, can bring us out of a mental funk. Gratitude works to reset your mind and put order back into our daily lives. It’s true in running and it’s true in life.