lessons from the trail part 14 - it's hard to change

i want immediate results. i want easy.

but nothing replaces hard work and discipline.

i've been running faithfully for four years. i love it. i miss it when i can't for extended periods of time (stress fractures, surgery, etc.).

i may dread getting up in the morning (laugh here, sheila) and i may have to force my way out the door some evenings.

i am never sorry i did it.

i realized working with marquis that my running has been easy. i take it easy. i walk when it gets hard. i cut some runs short. i rarely push myself. i want to get stronger and faster, but i wasn't doing anything to get there. it takes hard work.

a 12 mile run or a marathon or a hike is hard work, not saying it's not. but i have been making it as easy on myself as possible.

recently, i have had a couple times in a workout that was so hard i wished i could do something else. for instance, 2 minutes of burpees had me wishing for sprints and grateful when i got to cause it was easier.

but then the half mile of sprints had me jealous of the women in the easy zumba class (i can call it easy, i've taken that class with that instructor, i have a frame of reference, but i never thought it was easy before the burpees and sprints) i could see through the window as i ran sprints on the track.

i realized in a hill workout this week that my philosophy in training has changed. i used to never run hills. even in short training runs. now, i do my tuesday night training run, always 4 miles, and run four miles of hills. there is a stretch in the trail right outside my door that is .25 of a mile long and consists of two hills. i run down, up, across the.07 of a mile, back down the other side, up, and across 16 times to get 4 miles in. and i don't take it easy, except on the flat part. because i was avoiding what would make me stronger. change to get better.

it's never easy changing behaviors. working out, eating healthy.



there are other behaviors in addition to fitness and nutrition.

if you haven't been reading your bible regularly, finding time for it can be work.
going to bed earlier because you know you aren't getting enough sleep.
saving money, the discipline to put it in savings and leave it there can be tough.

but if nothing changes, nothing changes.