The Real Challenge Of Long Distance Running

Not At All What I Was Expecting

I have quickly found that the real challenge of long distance running is definitely not what I expected it to be. While I knew my undertaking (preparing for the 5K/losing weight) was going to be exhausting, I never would have anticipated the real battle I was setting myself up for was largely going to be in my own head (at least to the extent that it is, and/or has become). I was always aware (and fully realized) that distance running in particular presents a constant tug-of-war between the mind and body, where muscles strain, joints hurt, lungs burn, and fatigue sets in (been there, done that, many times over for various scenarios)- but for some reason (perhaps the fact that I’ve really committed to trying/succeeding this time?) the mental struggle for me seems to be running much deeper. And what’s also really frustrating (annoying/interesting, etc.), is that my mind seems to be working more in cahoots with my body than it ever had in the past to impede my efforts. I know age brings with it aches and pains, but I’ve become a practical hypochondrunneriac (I know it’s not a real word, but with some imagination it works in this instance), where every time I start a run, every little thing hurts more than usual- ankles, hips, sciatica, toenails, etc. (not joking even my shoelaces were painful on a recent run.. and they were loose and becoming untied). And these newly acquired oversensitized ever lingering phantom hinderances are in addition to the normal psychological wrestles I have with things like doubt, boredom, song lyrics I can’t remember, and of course the constant inner voice urging me to quit.. telling me how foolish I am, questioning why on Earth are we (me/I/you, every alternating pronoun my mind can come up with for myself when trying to find a new, more convincing angle) even doing this? We don’t have to do this!?!

Far More Than Just Physical & Mental

My body may (hopefully/eventually) be capable and trainable, and I know a strong mind can push a tired body well beyond perceived limits, but the mind too can be tired/weak and upon it I cannot solely rely, so it has become quickly apparent that without mental resilience (and some kind of spark or significant “something”) my progress will stall and failure will repeat itself. This I have resolved I cannot allow, so as I find myself (constantly) thinking things through (i.e. arguing with myself) I realize what I must draw from that can only be the seeds of my success.. I know it comes down to my spirit/psyche/soul/will (Answer D: All of the above, etc. or that “something” mentioned above) that will really have to step up for me to make this work. I never expected to question my resolve as much, and as often, as I have in such a short period of time. It’s clear that the basic dichotomy- where the mind must conquer pain and the body must obey resolve, defines endurance.. but for me to find true success and accomplish my goals in this/my endeavor of running, I realize it will require me not choosing between mind or body, but in harmonizing both under stress and pressure, on both mental and physical levels, as well as on/in the short and long terms, conditions and situations. As I come to terms on what must be done, the scope of the challenge before me broadens and grows with practically every stride and breath I take, and every drop of sweat that falls. So much for a simple “pick ‘em up, put ‘em down” and eventually I’m going to be in great shape and wearing stacks of race medals idea.

Treadmill Despair (Running to Nowhere)

I am guessing it’s in large part because I’m running a lot on a treadmill, going nowhere, seeing nothing new, different, or interesting to focus on, and I have only my complaining self to listen to (I tried the music/earbuds thing but wasn’t really a fan, and it didn’t make time go by any easier/quicker for me), that I’m not “enjoying” what I am actually accomplishing with my efforts and improvements. I have resigned myself to covering at least one mile a day, and as every day goes by I become more committed to not breaking the chain of successful days. In my state of seemingly perpetual discouragement/despair, I’ll take any success, as small or as minor as it might be.. and at this juncture my simple reward is “collecting” these days so to speak, to use as the foundational blocks/bricks of what I hope will on one future day be the podium of my accomplishment, and upon which I will stand successful at its peak.

Making the Most of a Proverb and Finding My Own Motivations

One thing that became quickly evident after only a week or two on the treadmill was that my mind raced far faster than my body. My thoughts ran laps around my stationary being as I consistently began to more feel more and more like a rat on a wheel, wondering if there was ever going to be anything really cheeseworthy, realized from my undertaking. As fate would/might have it (at least to some small degree), on some storage shelving against the infinitely distant basement wall, was a proverbial sign that said, “It’s not the years in your life, It’s the life in your years”

This I read hundreds if not thousands of times (as I tried not to stare at the always disappointing display/clock on the treadmill), and I thought deeply about what it meant (had nothing else to do), while trying to parlay its meaning into something that advocated for and/or endorsed my effort to run. Mostly though I would just try to find new words to replace “years” and “life” and still have the saying make sense (there are a few). What I eventually started doing, in an effort to creatively utilize (and at least get through) my solitude, was to formulate my own set of guidelines (actually more like an extended mantra) that I began to leverage for motivation/relief, as an alternative (call it a short term distraction) to stopping at any given moment, and effectively quitting and admittingly giving up.  Below are what I came up with that I look to (and heavily rely upon) as the Cardinal Rules for my running program/perspective:

The-Joggernaut.com’s Cardinal Rules of Running:

1. Consult a doctor/physician before you undertake any exercise program.
2. If you’re not sweating you’re not losing weight.
3. Set achievable goals.
4. Breathe.
5. The first few steps are typically the hardest, the last few the most rewarding, but only together will they complete the run.
6. Even small steps will still get you there.
7. Don’t let routines turn into ruts- mix things up: distances, paces, routes, etc. to keep things fresh.
8. Don’t overdo it, to avoid injury and because rest is vital to progress as growth comes during recovery.
9. Walking is not quitting.
10. Don’t get discouraged. There are going to be good days and bad days, even a bad day is not a failure.

Bottom line is as miserable or discouraged as I might have been feeling at any given point, I needed to find a reason to keep going, and one of these usually did the trick. FWIW they definitely helped get me through February, which looking back upon, I think was a good step in the right direction, and a solid follow-up to January. Although surviving the monotony is probable the biggest accomplishment, here are my runs for February (RW=Real World, TM=Treadmill):

My Treadmill Running Techniques

On the treadmill, runs always start with a bit of “warm-up” walking (at 4 mph), for probably about 30-40 seconds (never more than 1 minute), and then I continued with my prior practice of running/walking, for typically at least a full minute of running (starting at least 5 mph), but with increasing speeds (up to 5.5 mph max), and with extended time intervals (as much as endurance allowed). When I alternated back to walking, I always maintained a quicker pace than the “warm-up” (usually 4.4 mph). For data collection purposes, in similar fashion to my routine of “marking” the first mile’s time, I also began to record the second, and on two ambitious occasions even a third, mile’s times, along with the final workout time/distance. In addition (and hoping not to fixate on it), I included a column for my daily weight as it’s definitely a factor in this effort, and one that I cannot hide from.

Breakthrough Event – Slowed the Pace

Not all things are dismal. As I neared the end of February, I was well on my way to being two full months into a concerted/committed effort to take up running, that I hoped would at some point culminate with participation in a 5K run. I had actually on a couple of occasions even covered more than the 5K/3.106 mile race distance, however never in a continuous run. In fact, in 28 efforts covering almost 48 miles, I still hadn’t completed a single (nonstop) full/proper one mile run, either indoors on the treadmill or outside in the elements. I was always huffing and puffing and walking before I crossed that magical/mystical/imaginary line. Looking back, it seems like it should have been much more obvious to me, and in actuality was even anciently childish in its simplicity (i.e. The Tortoise and the Hare), but for whatever reason it took a veritable epiphany for me to just slow down my pace the littlest bit for it to finally “click”, and on the last day of February (fortunately it’s not a Leap Year), I actually ran a complete mile (with a good portion of it even being uphill). In fact, to accentuate my newfound ability.. I ran 1¼ miles before I went back to walking. However, as much as my unexpected accomplishment had uplifted me, reality quickly humbled me because as I (true story/not joking) began my walk/run back home, a woman jogging/pushing a baby stroller turned from an intersection onto the sidewalk in front of me, and like Mary Decker Slaney at her peak, took off at a pace I couldn’t even begin to attempt. I knew immediately I still had a lot of work to do and a long road in front of me, but I knew where I wanted to go, and at least now it seemed like I knew how to get there.

Month 2 – Training is in the Books.

Quick recap- Month 2 (February) completed.. with 19 outings (vs. 9 in January), and a total runtime of just under 7¾ hours, I covered 36.15 miles (vs. 2¾ hours & 11.83 miles for January). The treadmill is definitely a gamechanger as a crucial workout tool, but it is also literally a torture (especially mentally) device, and at this stage it’s all but guaranteed that it will prove to be either my nemesis or my salvation.