It's a bit of a rambler, but please stick with me...
I believe yesterday's seven mile run is the longest I have ever ran on one trip out the door. It is two miles longer than my previous long run. I found it interesting how my joints felt the rest of the day. It wasn't bad pain as much as that dull ache after the first day of a job that has you on your feet for the majority of the day. Take your pick, line cook, busboy, barista, dock lifeguard, high school teacher, popcorn and refreshments seller in the grandstands, lawn maintenance (i.e. running a trimmer all day long)… Been there, done that and gotten rid of most of those t-shirts.
Since I have gotten rather enamored with the idea of getting involved in barefoot and minimalist ultra and trail running I was aware that I would have to get used to being on my feet for long hours again, but I had a disconnect. Glamorizing a dream, as one often does, I did not realize how much my body would feel like it had after working the aforementioned jobs.
Fortunately, the run in no way felt like work. I'm taking today off and looking forward with my first run with the Georgia Chapter tomorrow morning. My wife certainly isn't because I'll be dropping her off at her parent's place at 6:30 in the morning, but that's a different story.
As for this ultra and trail running business… I believe there are loosey-goosey levels to goal setting, and I classify them as goals, dreams and fantasies. A goal would be typical things that one might be more likely to take for granted, e.g. I'm going for a run tomorrow. Dreams should certainly be attainable, but are going to require some excellence and diligence to get there. For many people a marathon would likely qualify as a dream. Fantasies are going to be on the very perimeter of attainability. In fact, I think of them as teetering on the very edge. From my past the example that I immediately thing of is my thoughts of professional soccer that where nothing more than fantasy. (It is inconsequential if I was aware of that as a teenager.)
Personality wise, I am not the cutthroat type. Physically, well my evaluations after my last two seasons of colligate soccer listed quickness as a strength and lack of speed a weakness. Hence, I know I am unlikely to win a 5K. In all honesty, I am not really even interested in the speedster races. Nevertheless, I think I would fit well within the culture of ultra running from what I have read of it.
I think I am “stupid” enough to take on ultra running. ("Stupid" was a friend's way of discribing it. Of course this is a guy who thinks it a stretch to walk a mile for some good rock climbing.)As a barefoot/minimalist runner I have a long way to go before I run in a 100 mile race, but I think it is a reasonable dream for me to accomplish. Now, never running in a competitive race until that 100 miler is probably in the realm of fantasy… Isn't it?
Gracia y paz,
a
I believe yesterday's seven mile run is the longest I have ever ran on one trip out the door. It is two miles longer than my previous long run. I found it interesting how my joints felt the rest of the day. It wasn't bad pain as much as that dull ache after the first day of a job that has you on your feet for the majority of the day. Take your pick, line cook, busboy, barista, dock lifeguard, high school teacher, popcorn and refreshments seller in the grandstands, lawn maintenance (i.e. running a trimmer all day long)… Been there, done that and gotten rid of most of those t-shirts.
Since I have gotten rather enamored with the idea of getting involved in barefoot and minimalist ultra and trail running I was aware that I would have to get used to being on my feet for long hours again, but I had a disconnect. Glamorizing a dream, as one often does, I did not realize how much my body would feel like it had after working the aforementioned jobs.
Fortunately, the run in no way felt like work. I'm taking today off and looking forward with my first run with the Georgia Chapter tomorrow morning. My wife certainly isn't because I'll be dropping her off at her parent's place at 6:30 in the morning, but that's a different story.
As for this ultra and trail running business… I believe there are loosey-goosey levels to goal setting, and I classify them as goals, dreams and fantasies. A goal would be typical things that one might be more likely to take for granted, e.g. I'm going for a run tomorrow. Dreams should certainly be attainable, but are going to require some excellence and diligence to get there. For many people a marathon would likely qualify as a dream. Fantasies are going to be on the very perimeter of attainability. In fact, I think of them as teetering on the very edge. From my past the example that I immediately thing of is my thoughts of professional soccer that where nothing more than fantasy. (It is inconsequential if I was aware of that as a teenager.)
Personality wise, I am not the cutthroat type. Physically, well my evaluations after my last two seasons of colligate soccer listed quickness as a strength and lack of speed a weakness. Hence, I know I am unlikely to win a 5K. In all honesty, I am not really even interested in the speedster races. Nevertheless, I think I would fit well within the culture of ultra running from what I have read of it.
I think I am “stupid” enough to take on ultra running. ("Stupid" was a friend's way of discribing it. Of course this is a guy who thinks it a stretch to walk a mile for some good rock climbing.)As a barefoot/minimalist runner I have a long way to go before I run in a 100 mile race, but I think it is a reasonable dream for me to accomplish. Now, never running in a competitive race until that 100 miler is probably in the realm of fantasy… Isn't it?
Gracia y paz,
a
