Escape velocity
I wouldn't call it a midlife crisis, exactly (hopefully not, because otherwise I would be popping my clogs at 60). But when I was about to hit the 30-year milestone last summer it was inevitable that I would do some evaluating of my life, and this resulted in the setting of a few targets for general self-improvement. I needed to go on holiday more. I needed to be somewhat more positive and proactive at work, pushing myself out of my comfort zone from time to time. And I pledged to start going running, often, in an effort to halt the continuing expansion of my gut.
So far I've been to New York and will embark upon a lunatic South African World Cup odyssey in a few short weeks' time. I've tried to take on new responsibilities in the office, despite the extreme comfiness of my comfort zone, hopefully becoming that bit better at my job. The running thing, however, has had somewhat more mixed results.
By following an established training plan, I slowly built up my stamina over a few weeks of going out doing run-walk-run-walk, with the duration of the walk bits decreasing as the run bits got longer. I'd heard it said that once you can run for 10 minutes using such plans you'd soon be able to run for 30 with ease. I was personally amazed when I managed 20:00 without collapsing and dying, but 30:00 seemed an achievable target and so to push myself that little bit more I entered into a 5K race in Milton Keynes (don't ask).
I hadn't run so far continuously before, but was banking on the presence of other runners to pace myself against to get me through it, and told myself that if I could do 30:00 without any walking then I'd be happy. I managed just over 27:00, and was therefore pretty ecstatic. This would be my early benchmark, which I would surely improve upon for each subsequent 5K I raced.
Well, I completed my second one in Richmond Park yesterday in 28:32, which included at least a couple of minutes of walking. I couldn't even step up a gear at the end for a sprint finish. The problem was, my initial developmental period coincided with summer and all the nice weather that brings. Even carrying on through Autumn and up to Christmas time, the conditions were still relatively warm and dry most days. But the weather turned foul after Christmas and after taking a few weeks' break, I managed to pop my calf after starting out again which was bloody scary stuff. Fortunately that didn't turn out to be serious, but I've had consistent problems throughout 2010 of my legs cramping up and just feeling generally lethargic at times, so it appears that I'm metaphorically going backwards.
Part of this may just be the inevitable effect of the seasons, and I might find running far easier come the summer. It certainly doesn't help that I've been doing this pretty much on my own, relying on the internets for my "research" into training, warming up, etc, and not having a proper running buddy to gee me along. The main drawback, though, is that I'm a complete pussy. I've spent a lifetime watching sport, enough to know that the psychological side plays a large part in who is successful. I am naturally appalling at sport, posessing a chronic lack of balance, co-ordination and fast reactions, but because I've convinced myself that I'm useless I also have an utter lack of willpower and real drive to push myself beyond my immediate physical limits.
After 2K of yesterday's run I was struggling, sure, but my legs weren't cramping up and I was still able to breathe reasonably well. And yet, faced with the mental vista of three more Ks of continuous running, I psychologically crumbled and slowed down to walking speed, as people I'd overtaken a while back proceeded to jog past me. Willpower is a curious thing. I know that running for 30 minutes is not that tough in the great scheme of things, and that the human body is capable of extraordinary feats of stamina when necessary. But, faced with a choice of pushing myself out of my comfort zone and trying for the fastest time possible or ducking out at the first sign of tiredness, I take the easy option every time. 30 years of convincing myself I'm an unfit, physical laughing stock is a difficult mindset to escape from.
Optimistically, I've booked myself into another 5K in 10 days' time. I can go faster. I will go faster. I hope.
So far I've been to New York and will embark upon a lunatic South African World Cup odyssey in a few short weeks' time. I've tried to take on new responsibilities in the office, despite the extreme comfiness of my comfort zone, hopefully becoming that bit better at my job. The running thing, however, has had somewhat more mixed results.
By following an established training plan, I slowly built up my stamina over a few weeks of going out doing run-walk-run-walk, with the duration of the walk bits decreasing as the run bits got longer. I'd heard it said that once you can run for 10 minutes using such plans you'd soon be able to run for 30 with ease. I was personally amazed when I managed 20:00 without collapsing and dying, but 30:00 seemed an achievable target and so to push myself that little bit more I entered into a 5K race in Milton Keynes (don't ask).
I hadn't run so far continuously before, but was banking on the presence of other runners to pace myself against to get me through it, and told myself that if I could do 30:00 without any walking then I'd be happy. I managed just over 27:00, and was therefore pretty ecstatic. This would be my early benchmark, which I would surely improve upon for each subsequent 5K I raced.
Well, I completed my second one in Richmond Park yesterday in 28:32, which included at least a couple of minutes of walking. I couldn't even step up a gear at the end for a sprint finish. The problem was, my initial developmental period coincided with summer and all the nice weather that brings. Even carrying on through Autumn and up to Christmas time, the conditions were still relatively warm and dry most days. But the weather turned foul after Christmas and after taking a few weeks' break, I managed to pop my calf after starting out again which was bloody scary stuff. Fortunately that didn't turn out to be serious, but I've had consistent problems throughout 2010 of my legs cramping up and just feeling generally lethargic at times, so it appears that I'm metaphorically going backwards.
Part of this may just be the inevitable effect of the seasons, and I might find running far easier come the summer. It certainly doesn't help that I've been doing this pretty much on my own, relying on the internets for my "research" into training, warming up, etc, and not having a proper running buddy to gee me along. The main drawback, though, is that I'm a complete pussy. I've spent a lifetime watching sport, enough to know that the psychological side plays a large part in who is successful. I am naturally appalling at sport, posessing a chronic lack of balance, co-ordination and fast reactions, but because I've convinced myself that I'm useless I also have an utter lack of willpower and real drive to push myself beyond my immediate physical limits.
After 2K of yesterday's run I was struggling, sure, but my legs weren't cramping up and I was still able to breathe reasonably well. And yet, faced with the mental vista of three more Ks of continuous running, I psychologically crumbled and slowed down to walking speed, as people I'd overtaken a while back proceeded to jog past me. Willpower is a curious thing. I know that running for 30 minutes is not that tough in the great scheme of things, and that the human body is capable of extraordinary feats of stamina when necessary. But, faced with a choice of pushing myself out of my comfort zone and trying for the fastest time possible or ducking out at the first sign of tiredness, I take the easy option every time. 30 years of convincing myself I'm an unfit, physical laughing stock is a difficult mindset to escape from.
Optimistically, I've booked myself into another 5K in 10 days' time. I can go faster. I will go faster. I hope.
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