When we put ourselves in the frame of mind described above, there is little in a running experience that doesn't add to our benefit. Disappointments are turned into valuable experience. Feeling disappointed is nothing more than confirmation of knowing what we don't want. Think about it, heading out to run a PR and failing to do so carries with it disappointment. It's not the end, it's the next step in getting where you feel you need to be.
I certainly don't want to be last place in my age group for any races I run but it happens to me much of the time. Instead of being down on it, I revive myself and say, if you run your best for today, meeting your challenges and working through them, success will follow.
In August I ran a local 10K. It was hot and humid and well into my second 5K I realized that, I was going to have to work hard just to keep my pace and finish in 57 minutes.
As I entered the second 5K, I approached this suck-ass hill on W. Prospect Street and I realized there would be pain.
It hurt, I was hot and I was slowing down. I saw, up ahead, three people running about 15 feet apart from each other. The lead runner was a woman in a hot pink sports top with headphones on. I decided right then and there that I was going to beat those three people in front of me regardless of the pain. This became my new focus.
Now this may be silly to some, given the relative times I was running in and I wasn't even going to place in my age group, but the pain I was feeling seemed worthwhile given in the spirit of competition.
I focused on turnover, I didn't have to beat these three people in a sprint, I needed to increase my turnover and crank it out. I focused on that, trying to relax the pain away so that I could move forward. Little by little I "reeled in" the first person, the second person came just a little while longer as I moved a little faster and then the pink shirt came next. I ran along side her for a minute or so before I pulled ahead. We were heading around the corner and that suck-ass hill. I ran hard to the base of the hill figured that if I got to the hill first, I could still run up it hard and keep a lead. I did and there was MORE PAIN. Hills in the middle of a race stink.
Labored breathing, hot, humid, legs hurting, dreaming of bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches.....
I turned a little, did it look like she was further back? I focused on the next guy. A nice younger kid who I ran with for awhile. He took off his headphones and started to talk to me. The look of pain on my face must have set him off because he said, "Oh, I'll just let you do your thing man!" LOL! How do I tell him, don't worry, it's just the pain.
I told myself to hold onto my pace until the last mile then let go and run with everything I had.
My GF Kim told me later that I looked so relaxed and effortless as I came down the final stretch. Funny, it hurt like heck and I wanted to throw up!
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