Running with My Mind

Today was my first long run.

My participation in a 5k this weekend, coupled with my desire to get fit (okay, let's be honest:  lose weight), has been pushing me along the course of trying to improve not only my commitment but my time.  In order to do this, one needs to train.  In order to train, one needs to run.

And so, I ran.

What I find is that my intellectual state is 50% or more of the battle.  If I've settled in my head that I am going to run a certain distance before I do it, my body simply acquiesces.  If my mind  is undecided my body seemingly loses all ability to do anything than get down to the end of the block.

So my mind was made up.  Fabulous.  Off we go.

The cooler weather helps a great deal.  It's far more pleasant to run and eventually get sweaty that to start out sweaty after running 5 steps.   It also helps to quiet the mind, which immediately starts complaining about being hot and sweaty and such.

My first serious breakpoint is where I make the turn to start back - the place I would turn back for my heretofore usual runs.  My body seems okay:  no aching bones, no side splitting aches.  My mind starts to wander a bit - Oh boy, here we go back!  No, I have to counsel it, we're going further today.

The second breakpoint is where I turn to do the extra mileage.  My mind is already thinking of the lesser runs I've done up this road, looking for a way to get off early.  Again I have to tell it no, we're going the full distance.

I'm not sure at what point the mind accepts the fact we're going the whole way, but it doesn't stop trying to fight back.  Making the third checkpoint - the turn towards home - I get a little distressed as I don't run this way as often and don't know the turns as well.  The next turn - the one to get me back on my normal route - always seems to be a bit beyond where I am going.  Aha, says the mind, see - told you we shouldn't have gone this far!

We find the turn, of course, and turn back on the final route home.  We make it, winded somewhat, legs aching, but feeling good.

I run the numbers.  Average time per mile is 8:57, not bad at all.

Look at what I had us do, the mind says.

The body just quietly shakes its head and looks for coffee.