Back to Basics

Last week, post half-marathon, my mind & body needed a break. A goal behind me and somewhere in limbo, I kept my runs between 6-8 miles in the woods / following uncharted trails to heal and unwind my mind.

For the past three months, I've focused on distance primarily running fifty plus miles a week in preparation for the race.

That race has come and gone, and it taught me much. 

The beauty of running and becoming, is that each day, each race, each experience provides useful instruction on one's self, and one's potential, and does not define us, but informs us, and offers clues on what we need to bring our attention back to.

Yesterday, I did 9.5 miles in a steady rain. It banished the lingering doubts still with me after the challenging and unforgiving race, and inspired me to set new goals.

Today, after 4.5 miles of warm-up, I tackled the track at a local middle school, and did 4 x 200 intervals. 

I'm neither coach nor expert, but I do think that to become better, you have to work harder, and have a specific goal that informs your training & visualizations.

I relished my intervals today; the rush of adrenaline when sprinting and running down the clock - those precious seconds of harmony & rhythm w/ breath, legs, arms, mind.

I may have bombed any PR goals on race day, but I didn't leave without having learned something about myself, and about who I want to become..it inspired me to get back to basics, and that is a very good thing.