It's always hard at the beginning of a long training cycle that you know is going to last several months. I have to break it down into weekly tidbits to avoid getting overwhelmed looking at all the miles, training and heavy lifting (both physically and mentally) to keep it up and keep going eve during those cold mornings when the blankets feel like heaven but i have 21 miles to run that day. Even on those Friday nights when I could stay up late reading or being online and instead have to hit the hay early so I can be up at the crack of dark to start my long run. Thinking about biting cold, snowy mornings, running through cold rain and early dark times.
I happen to be the kind of idiot who signs up for very long early spring races which means I train through the winter. While everyone is hunkered down in warm houses drinking hot tea and watching "Downtown Abbey" I am getting ready for the next day's cold run.
But you know what? I wouldn't change it for anything. I embrace the suck, as they say. And I know that the reward will be worth it all. I remember a friend on a long run saying, as I was training for my first marathon, "suck it up buttercup" (you might know who you are if you are reading this). I never forgot that. I paid for the Privilege of being able to run this many miles. I remember all those who are in their houses because they are sick or tired or unable to do the things I love to do. They may dream of running out in the wild woods for hours and hours and feeling that ultra tired and accomplished feeling but cannot.
I feel LUCKY--whether that sounds weird to some--to go out into the cold morning with my headlamp on bundled up like a snowman and listen to that absolute snowy early morning peace. The calm of the world at that time..the silence..is like a church sanctuary. The lights along the streets of Bloomington shining in that delicate iridescence like far away moons becomes my mental state. I start to dream and drift a little while I run those early mornings. The miles fade away and all I can hear is the crunch of snow under my feet, my breathing in and out. All my anxieties of the week disappear with each breath. Anything that is bothering me emotionally or mentally disappears like the wisp of snowflakes I might see fall like slow gentle rain.
They say you can never be truly ready for change. Yet life is change--all the time. If things didn't change they would stagnate and die. But to be evolving through hard work, ethical behavior, responsible living, joyfulness in the beginning of the self learning to BE itself---that is the best thing in life.
So I make my training cycle on a piece of paper, make three copies and post it all over my house. I keep track of my miles on my calendar so I know which weekends to do what mileage. I start to include cross-training, hill training and speed workouts. I work on my long runs---I change my terrain, my footing, I re-evaluate my gear and make changes as I see fit.
And it makes the winter pass with so much more gentleness and courage. I find myself smiling at strangers who look cold and miserable but they may see me (remembering my early morning running homily) smiling at them and perhaps their day goes a little better. I can bring that energy into my work week, my time with family and friends, my day to day challenges and face them with a brighter outlook.
And it's all due to that day-in, day-out schedule of workouts, runs, long runs and rest days.
