The Million Dollar Question

There is a mystery in the life of a runner that needs a solution.  And when I figure it out, I will market it in Runner's World magazine and enjoy a wealthy retirement.  The mystery is:  Why do I feel good on one run, and then feel like last week's leftovers on another run?  Yesterday I ran my sixth official 10K and I set a new PR.  My bucket list goal is to get in under 1 hour.  Yesterday I did it in 1 hour and 6 seconds.  (MY garmin said 1 hour and 2 seconds, but I'll "graciously" ...  >:-/ ... let that go ...)  Needless to say, it was a great run!  Part of the reason was that several friends were running also, which always makes anything more fun.  There were a couple of challenging hills, including one nasty hill towards the end that, IMO, was just downright rude and unnecessary.  Even at that, I got my best time to date and finished feeling good.

Two weeks ago I did that 10K at Champoeg Park and crossed the finish line gasping and frothing like an old horse needing to be put out of its misery.   (You've got to admit, it takes a certain degree of security in one's self-being to publicly post such an unflattering shot.)

That route in the above picture at Champoeg was f-l-a-t and yesterday's route was, as I said, anything but.  So WHY?  And what concerns me most is that I CAN'T SEEM TO CONTROL NOR PREDICT IT.  On a routine run, the old-horse syndrome doesn't really matter, other than it can be really irritating.  But there are runs when it DOES matter ...!

Anyway, here's a photo showing off a sampling of some Awesome Running Friends at yesterday's 10K.  (You will recognize FRP to my right.)  It was the first of the annual Newberg Camelia Festival runs, and I plan to boot Champoeg out of my routine and replace it with this!

Pay particular attention to Awesome Running Friends 2nd and 3rd from the right.  This was their debut 10K and THEY RAN THE WHOLE WAY!   You can now say you knew them when .... because I'm sure we haven't seen the last of these two in this dazzling world of pavement-pounding.  AND they, like me, used to HATE THE WHOLE IDEA OF RUNNING.  (Maybe they still do ....)  Another two of the Awesome Running Friends in the picture (Tall Guy in Back and White Hat Gal) are also somewhat new to 10Ks and are showing us all how it's done.  Finally, the Far Right Gal left burn marks on the street as she rocketed off into the lead.

So whatever that mystery component that creates a good run is, whether it's adequate rest, nutrition, warming-up, lucky socks - or if it's simply the stars aligning themselves correctly ....  I hope it kicks in when I really need it.

What would you DO if you were not afraid?

Favorite Third Son Tyler posed that question in a talk he gave in church this week.  He credited it to Favorite 2nd Son Kendall, who credited it to a book about cheese.... and mice....  Anyway, it got me to thinking.  What would I DO if I was not afraid?  And, to ponder the point further -- what have I done, in spite of fear?  Hmmmmm.  


As I think about it, fear has its benefits.  It can keep us out of danger.  It promotes caution and prudence.  It can heighten the senses.  All of which can be extremely useful.


Yet, via the ancient prophet Isaiah, God teaches us, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (41:10)  
......So "fear thou not" - is not just a mere suggestion.  It sounds more like a commandment.


Therefore, in situations when stupidity is not in the mix, and actual harm is not a possibility (except if you're Moses, stepping into the Red Sea), but rather ... failure, or embarrassment, or rejection, or discomfort, or exposure, or pride, or loss of something eternally unimportant, or sweat, or pain .... are among the possible consequences ... along with the possibility of something wonderful, THEN is a good time to ask yourself that question.


What would YOU do if you were not afraid?  And what HAVE you done?   For me, it was watching the Love of My Life leave for two years to serve as God's missionary -- and then, years later, watching each of our three sons fly away to foreign worlds to do the same.  It was standing by my man (and only breadwinner) as he quit his very secure job to start his own very un-secure business.  It was taking the exam for my (currently non-current) Real Estate license.  It was teaching my first adult religion class.  It was my first attempt down a ski slope.  It was walking into my first Weight Watchers meeting.  It was my first 10K.  It was accepting an invitation to run in the Hood to Coast relay.  It's agreeing to chaperone a re-enactment of a pioneer handcart trek involving no showers nor actual beds for 4 days.  And it's those 26.2 miles next June.  

Random Road Thoughts

Can't WAIT to be DONE with the Marathon!  I miss the non-pressured days when a run of less than 6 miles didn't cause guilt or concern.


New running shoes are on their way!  I went back to Nike Air Max Motos after wearing Brooks for the past 6 months. The Brooks were good, but they didn't have the Aaaah Factor.


I LOVE my running friends, old and new.  Do people bond like this in other sports?  I seriously doubt it.  I mean, there just is SOMETHING about running.   


I'm trying to not get discouraged when others are able to run faster and farther than I can.  Especially when they seem to do it so easily.   When I am outrun by someone of my age, gender, and weight, THEN there's reason to let it get to me.  Which segues to my next thought ...

I need a shirt with THIS on the back:

 "Go ahead and pass me.  

How many grandkids 

do YOU have??"

Finally, I really MUST start carrying a camera on my runs.  The downtown Portland waterfront this morning, with the sun and the mist over the river, was a thrill.  And a picture inserted ...

 *here*

would have been perfect.   ~Sigh~