JTG: Risky Busniess


MILES 510

Last week during my long run, a strange idea occurred to me.  I am, by nature, risk adverse.  Very conservative,  not into gambling, never tried any thing involving heights, jumping, flying….. I am an obsessive planner and I tend to be boring and monotonous.  I mean, in a REALLY fun way!   And I started to wonder if athletes behave differently.  If their brains are actually hardwired…. in a different way.  Because…. as we have addressed early on… I am a halflete…. normal person wanna be athlete doing all the things athletes do only like a normal person…. sort of half assing it….. proudly… I might add…. but I digress…. Risk seeking behavior has actually been linked to a dopamine receptor gene….. or in simple terms… different brain chemistry… and the idea that stuck in my head…. as I hold back…. pushing at a steady 60% because I have trained myself to always have a running reserve…. maybe all of those people kicking serious running butt are taking more risk…. teetering on the edge of empty… going full throttle to see if they can push past perceived limits… maybe their brains are wired different… When I looked this up… it turns out, ironically, that a large amount of athletes have gambling problems….

It also occurred to me that many athletes are faith driven…. dedicating their great athletic feats and accomplishments to God…. to a higher power ….. And I marvel at the blind faith that some can be led and inspired by and they draw great unbreakable strength from this faith….. that is a very powerful idea and I can't help but think it has the ability to pull anyone through great doubt and despair and pain and even limits…. in life and in those questionable agonizing moments of a race…. My motivating factor has always been strength in the ability to overcome…. it is self driven…. and then when I had children it was to be  pillar of indestructible  strength for them…..

Such marked differences between me and….. athletes….. is it all in MY head… or theirs….

Today was my first long run saturday with a training group.  Ever.  It was amazing.  My awesome medium fast pack group is like the best thing that ever happened to me….. and i think we are all going to get faster…. I have had running friends before…. but never a group…. what is so cool is the dynamic is always different depending on who is there…. so it's exciting to go see what your going to get! It's like the cereal box prize every time…. you have an idea of this great awesome prize you want….. but you don't know exactly what it is until you get there…. AND bonus…. you don't have to dig through the cereal. So in a week, I have had an incredible long run…. AND I went running in the rain.  Which I never do…. all because my group was going to be there and I had company in my misery….. torture companions…….. some one else to brave the suck with…. and most of it didn't end up sucking at all. I am getting comfortable with being uncomfortable… I am once again falling in love with running.

After my run today I sat down on the curb and almost started to cry.  It was happiness, joy, relief…..almost 20 years of running …. and at this moment I can't remember the last 10 mile run I had free of pain. But today… I am finally over my injuries and running pain free! The whole time.   I was so happy. And I made a promise to myself to never take running for granted again.    To cherish the gift.  To be guided by my body and not some stupid idea of 6 minute miles and winning…. to allow good days and bad days….. to not push myself to puking every time my feet hit the pavement.  To have hard runs and easy runs…. and to LOVE every minute of it.  Today was pure happiness.  Lately my running has been about laughter and meeting new people and having fun…. and as I lace up my shoes…. heading out too early for my comfort….. into an unknown running situation… to log miles and train for a race in a way i have never done before….. as i focus on the joy and fun of running…. as i look at this sport in a completely different way…… I think…. what a great thing to be able to log the miles..how lucky to HAVE something like running in my life….. as I almost reintroduce myself to the only sport I have ever really known, the sport that has at times saved me over and over again….. dragging me out of moments of weakness and times of feeling overwhelmingly lost and hopeless….. the sport that has given me celebrated happiness and been by my side through the greatest of moments…. the best times in my life….. I am like….. hey there running, it's nice to meet you……  and…… I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

So basically my work outs look like this these days:

Progressive lift schedule….
Bench Press
Deadlift
Squats

Overhead Press
Front Squats
Power Cleans


A yoga class or 2…. a bootcamp class 1 day

Miles after fantastic Miles


Favorite foods right now….

Yogurt
Tomatos
Shake:  Chrries, blueberries, pineapple and chocolate protein powder
Bagel with peanut butter for long run days….

Things I need to learn more about!  GEL and hydration during races…….









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