Training problem solving and why I have been so wrong!

Training Problem Solving

Summer is here and I’m soon going on holiday for three weeks. In a way the vacation couldn’t come at a worse time – at least in theory. I’m running the Oslo marathon on the 28th of September and these three weeks I am taking now in August are slap-bang in the middle of my training. One of the beauties of running, as I know very well as I expound on it’s benefits regularly, is that we can do it whenever and wherever we want. My “problems” are twofold – I am driving to France from Norway which will mean three days without training until I arrive at my father’s place, but the other is that it is going to be ludicrously hot there. My holiday is for three weeks. Although I am a firm believer in positive thinking I am also a pragmatist, but in this case I can solve both these problems very easily. Firstly I am going to treat the three days off training as a rest period before I begin the critical last eight weeks of training before the big event. Secondly, I am going to get up very early to get my runs in before the heat or do them late at night, and this, my dear friends, is going to give me both structure and work on my discipline. Problems solved. If only the rest of life’s challenges were so easy to fix!

I’ve been doing it all wrong!

I’m the first to admit when I’m wrong. No wait – that is a lie. I am usually the last to admit I’m wrong. This is not because I am pig-headed or arrogant (though I am both) but because in order to live my life I have found that I need to have a very high level of self-confidence in all that I do, and by extension, believe. Anyway – I had almost forgotten why I run. I run because I love it and it makes me feel fantastic. Why then am I pushing myself to achieve a specific time in a marathon? I have suddenly realised that this does not make sense! I need to run my next marathon with that same intention – to enjoy it. I still need to train long and hard, because without that I will struggle, I will find every step a slog rather than a joy, but not for the intention of getting a sub 3:45 result. The intention, and hopefully result, needs to be to cross the line in Oslo this year smiling my head-off and on a wonderful high – not in pain because I have pushed myself to breaking point for an arbitrary goal.

I’m so glad I realised this. I feel so pleased with this. Thanks for listening.