Today was scheduled for 6 miles. I was feeling so tired yesterday that I decided not to join the TNT group for my run. Phil asked me why, since I had to run six miles? Well, I usually end up on my own anyways, so I figured I might as well sleep as long as I could, and then run from my home.
About 15 minutes before the Tour De France coverage ended, I started off. This way, Phil was going to meet me and feed me gatorade. I always have the hardest time with the first couple of miles, so I didn't want him to get up with me until I got through those. (Yes, I have the greatest husband on earth!!!) First mile was out of my neighborhood and down to the high school. This is about as flat as Greenville gets....second mile, there was a gradual downhill, followed by a nice twisty uphill, downhill, and then back uphill. Mile three was a gradual uphill, into a headwind. By now I was getting a little tired. By tired I don't really mean physically tired. The physical part of running is definitely not as hard as the mental part for me. I find it so easy to have self defeating thoughts when I run. I will never be a speed demon, but I think I am doing OK. But when I am running, I think that I am horribly slow, that I don't have good form, I think my sciatica is coming back, etc. This is where music helps. It distracts me from my greatest opponent- myself.
Today I really listened to the words from one of the Rocky songs "Burning Heart." It is from Rocky 4 I think, when he fights Ivan Drago. He is out training on the tundra while Drago is in A USSR sponsored state of the art training facility. At first, I was glad that song was on because it made me think of snow and cold (instead of the heat). But then I really listened to the words.
In the burning heart, just about to burst
There's a quest for answers, an unquenchable thirst
In the darkest night, rising like a spire
In the burning heart, the unmistakable fire, in the burningheart
In the warrior's code, there's no surrender
Though his body says stop, his spirit cries never
Deep in our soul a quiet ember
Knows it's you against you
It’s the paradox that drives us on
It's a battle of wills, in the heat of attack
It's the passion that kills
The victory is yours alone
So was this written for me? Or is it just that we are so often fighting against ourselves? I forget who it was that said this, but I think it's right on target:
Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
I CAN finish my marathon. I CAN rock my training! But I can't look as cool as Ivan Drago.
3 comments:
You CAN do it! And you are right, most of it is mental. Especially the last 6.2 miles. But you CAN do it and you WILL do it. And thanks for posting that song. I've been looking for some inspirational songs for running and that one fits what I need.
I always tell people that the marathon is 90% mental and 10% physical. You'll rock yours for sure.
I'm the slowest in my group as well, you know it's bad when the walkers pass you. A quote I really love: "Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." --William Faulkner
You'll make it across the finish line!
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