What's in a number? Feelings? Happiness? Joy? Fear?
Numbers are just that...numbers...unless...
You make a mental barrier out of them.
1 (mile): Just get out the door and do it. Once thought of as tough, it is now what you strive to run pain free. But you are tough for others but they will make you their bitch for making them fear you.
5 (k): After that first 1, 5k seemed a long way. Now you can do it regularly under 21, even under 20, once.
10 (k): A goal distance at one point and it took over an hour to get there. In peak training last year, 10k was your easy recovery day.
10 (miles): Double digits! I remember my first double digit run. It was the day before my last triathlon (3rd in my age group- another number). I was ecstatic to reach it and strive for it to come again, but slowly, not at a price.
13.1: My next major goal distance. I reached that 10 mile plateau twice while training for my first 1/2. I hurt badly during this run. I ached for a couple days after it. I hit this distance bout 10-15 times while training last year and felt good doing it.
26.2: The Mythical marathon. I have hit this distance twice and twice I did not stop until I had gone further. I have never run a marathon and don't know if I will. It is just a number, but it is a number that instills pride, joy, fear, anxiety, love, and passion, hate, fear, and loathing.
50 (k): My goal distance. I trained hard for this number. But like 13.1, I reached it before my goal race. I reached 50k and did not stop. I went a few miles more despite the fact that my brain told me I could go further.
50 (miles): My new goal. I have two days planned out to try to reach this goal. All the feelings listed in 26.2 are here for me at 50. My main fear is that I will not be healed well enough to reach it. My MAIN fear is that my leg will not be healed.
100 (k): I am ready to hit 50 this year mentally. I know I can do it. 100k is the next number. I dream of hitting it in 2013, I will hit it in 2013. When I hit 50 this year, I will need to gain some speed to hit 100k or find a 100k race close by to find this number.
100 (miles): I want this. I know it is years off, but I will be there. You are to me what all the numbers before you are to others. You instill great fear and anxiety. More than 50, more than 100k. I will conquer you one day. You will be mine.
1000 (miles): I hit this goal for the first time last year. You are a goal I can say I have reached. Injuries this year will NOT prevent me from reaching you again. I will train smart and I will see you in the Fall. You are probably also the reason why I am injured- you an 50k both. Too many miles too soon. Overuse caused my injury. I will NOT let that happen again even at the cost of 50 miles.
Numbers. That's all they are, just numbers.
This is a great post. As runners, we are so often defined by numbers. My friends and I were all talking about the fact that having such a hot Boston, we had no choice but to let go of numbers. It was pretty liberating, I must say!
ReplyDeleteToday's number was 1.25 and the feeling it brought was a lack of pain! And some joy along with it :) 3 runs in a row with no pain. What got me thinking about numbers was that I had just hit 10,000 total views since I started the blog about a year or so ago and I started thinking "Why does it matter? I started this blog for my own thoughts" and it brought about a thought provoking post :)
DeleteGreat post! I agree that as runners we are so tuned into the numbers. speed, distance, place in a race, etc. I've been trying not to have them matter as much lately--when I run without my Garmin, it brings me such a Zen feeling. I need to do that more often!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about having my Garmin with me but putting it in a spot where I can't look at it. I'll need to keep careful track of my milage, though, coming off an overuse injury that I aggravated 5-6 weeks ago. I'm just back to running somewhat regularly and low miles now with no pain.
DeleteAwesome post and so true. The numbers are very enticing to runners and I can see myself moving though this same ladder. Good advice to train smart and to try to avoid overuse.
ReplyDeleteThanks! The number of the day for me is 2! 2 pain free mile on the TM brought joy!
DeleteCareful about that 100-miler! One year ago, I said the exact same thing: Someday, but years away! It may be closer than you think ;)
ReplyDeleteCome hang out at Across the Years with us - it's a 24/48/72 Hr timed race. Very low key and easy terrain. I saw tons of runners surprise themselves there last year.
One girl who was training for her FIRST HALF MARATHON ended up running over 50K. Here's the recap, check out the video at the bottom - http://vanessaruns.com/2012/01/09/across-the-years-24-hour-race-report/
I'm in for the 72 Hr this year :)
Vanessa, that was awesome to read and watch! If money weren't an option, I'd be there! I am going to be around my first 100 mile atmosphere when I pace my friend Jay at Leadville. The atmosphere at a 12 hour run I did last September was phenomenal and I signed up again as soon as registration opened. I can only imagine what the atmosphere is like at a 24/48/72! My motivation and desire is there, it's just getting my adductor back to "normal". I've had 4 runs in a row with no pain (1, 1, 1.25 and 2). I plan on taking it easy like that while building nice and slow.
DeleteI really like this post. It's funny how running these distances for the first time sticks with me.
ReplyDeleteI agree! For now I remember each race, too. Once the races build up more, who knows! When I was cycling in the 90's, the races eventually just blended together except for a few each year. there are some that still stand out from those years!
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