What is a great runner? Immediately you think to your running idols whose names usually include - Meb, Shalane, Kara and Rupp, or. if you aspire to be an ultra-marathoner – S. Jurek, A. Krupicka, A. Trason and J. Shelton. They move agilely over cement or technical terrain with the leg speed of a cheetah. They start at the front of the line, clock speedy times, win races, get sponsorships, get free entry into the race of their choosing and never seem to have a bad day.
If it wasn't for them we probably wouldn't have the drive we have to push ourselves. It makes me push myself every weekday morning before work and roll out of bed on the weekend (even earlier sometimes) to get my long run done. I know I don't look as good as they do climbing up the hills, running over the rocks and racing down the street. I know my left foot turns out and my right leg is stronger than the left and sometimes my arms need a break so I run with my hands on my hips. The point is that I am out there and I am choosing the harder path instead of the same mundane run every day. If I am on the treadmill, I am doing random inclines and/or fartleks. On the weekends Jared will take me to the trails and run double the mileage running out and back for me every 15 mins to make sure I didn't fall and hurt myself or get lost (yes, both of these happen every single time. Once he had to walk me back to the car - it wasn't pleasant).
So why am I doing this if I am not great at it? Simple, I am great at it. How many people get up before the sun and log miles. Who pushes their bodies directly after the night's slumber through grueling, sweaty workouts before an 8 hour work day? Most pros train without having to work an 8 hour day. Running is their job. I am training and working. I just keep in mind, "If you aren't choosing the tougher situation, you aren't giving yourself the opportunity to grow." Obviously, you can't go hard every day, but; you also cannot run the same flat loop either. Some days my morning 75 min run logs great mileage and others it looks like a bad 15k. It is worth it when one day you wonder, "Why did I think this was hard?"
A great runner is a runner who is still improving given their circumstances, who is taking risks and challenging themselves daily, the ones who aren't giving up or giving in. I am more than likely bombing my first ultra. I can feel my body breaking down a little and I feel my legs turning to lead from all the training. With that being said I can also say that I am the strongest and fittest I have been to date. I know that something good will happen and I am not giving up until I get there. I just might surprise myself!
So why am I doing this if I am not great at it? Simple, I am great at it. How many people get up before the sun and log miles. Who pushes their bodies directly after the night's slumber through grueling, sweaty workouts before an 8 hour work day? Most pros train without having to work an 8 hour day. Running is their job. I am training and working. I just keep in mind, "If you aren't choosing the tougher situation, you aren't giving yourself the opportunity to grow." Obviously, you can't go hard every day, but; you also cannot run the same flat loop either. Some days my morning 75 min run logs great mileage and others it looks like a bad 15k. It is worth it when one day you wonder, "Why did I think this was hard?"
A great runner is a runner who is still improving given their circumstances, who is taking risks and challenging themselves daily, the ones who aren't giving up or giving in. I am more than likely bombing my first ultra. I can feel my body breaking down a little and I feel my legs turning to lead from all the training. With that being said I can also say that I am the strongest and fittest I have been to date. I know that something good will happen and I am not giving up until I get there. I just might surprise myself!