I’ve mentioned the running group I joined in order to train for the Bolder Boulder 10k on Memorial Day. What I haven’t mentioned is that I’m the oldest in my group. And the slowest.
We’re grouped according to our race day goals and so even though we all hope to run the 6.2 miles in less than 50 minutes, some of us in the Sub 50 group are more sub than others, if you know what I mean.
We do speed workouts on Tuesday evenings and over the past several weeks I began to lose focus of my personal goals because I was too busy comparing myself to the other runners. Instead of listening to my body, I was watching everyone else. In my defense, it’s pretty easy to fall into the comparison trap when you’re continually running behind people.
Epiphany! I realized just thinking about the Tuesday night training was making me anxious and that I could do some of those speed workouts on my own. For instance, last week I ran the tempo workout (intervals) on my treadmill at home and was pleased with my performance.
Tonight’s workout is a three-mile time trial in which we’re supposed to go all out.
Ever since I learned about that time trial, I’ve been a nervous wreck. Each time I thought of it my heart would race and I’d feel awful. There was absolutely no way in hell I was going to do that run with the group. Not only that, I also gave myself permission to skip the run if it was going to cause me too much stress.
But just in case, I had Zippy use this handy tool to map out a three-mile course on the only two (mostly) flat streets in my neighborhood.
This morning I gave myself a talking-to complete with the declaration that all I really needed to do was run three miles and that it would just be a bonus if I ran them speedy-quick. No pressures.
Guess what? I ran three miles! Speedy-quick!
Three miles in my time. Who cares how fast all those young things run tonight? Not me.
Tracy Abell 
Very impressive 🙂 SEriously, I don’t think I’d be able to complete the Bolder Boulder, let alone actually come in under a certain time. Go, Tracy!! 😀
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Thank you SO much for the kind words, Robin. They mean an awful lot to me and my confidence. I thought of you when I wrote the part about two mostly flat streets in the neighborhood – knew you could relate to that!
Right after I posted this the training group director sent out a course map for the time trial in Wash Park tonight. I just started chortling because I’m already done, I’m already done….
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Thank you SO much for the kind words, Robin. They mean an awful lot to me and my confidence. I thought of you when I wrote the part about two mostly flat streets in the neighborhood – knew you could relate to that!
Right after I posted this the training group director sent out a course map for the time trial in Wash Park tonight. I just started chortling because I’m already done, I’m already done….
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Congratulations on your outside-the-box thinking and your speedy-quick run. And I love that you were done, done, done before the course map arrived in your in box 🙂
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Thank you! Yes, it was the very best feeling to get that course map and know it didn’t matter one iota! HA!
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Yeah. I think comparisons are fatal in just about any venture. So hard to go on when others always seem to be a little faster, a little better. I’m so impressed at you for running! I would be sore and grouchy WALKING a 10K. But then I won’t be sub50 for much longer. Ugh.
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It’s hard breaking that comparison habit, though. I’m learning that lesson with my writing, too. Or at least trying to learn that lesson. It appears to be one of those life-long things. 🙂
I could get you to walk a 10k with me and you wouldn’t be sore and grouchy because we’d have too much fun talking.
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I wish I could get beyond comparing, too, but the habit is too old.
Can we go on that walk now, please?!
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I wish we could. I’d pick your brain about something. Guess I’ll have to send an email instead.
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Pick away! Ain’t much left, though.
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Good for you….
I’m a very slow runner….Under 50 minutes would be a miracle for me!
Good luck!
Janet
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Thanks, Janet. Under 50 is going to be hard for me, too, but I’ve done it before and believe I can do it again. As for you being a slow runner, if that’s what feels good for your body then that’s what’s right for you. We’ve all got our own speed. Yesterday I tried to focus on being in the moment and feeling my strength, and that helped carry me along.
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Good for you….
I’m a very slow runner….Under 50 minutes would be a miracle for me!
Good luck!
Janet
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It’s hard breaking that comparison habit, though. I’m learning that lesson with my writing, too. Or at least trying to learn that lesson. It appears to be one of those life-long things. 🙂
I could get you to walk a 10k with me and you wouldn’t be sore and grouchy because we’d have too much fun talking.
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I wish I could get beyond comparing, too, but the habit is too old.
Can we go on that walk now, please?!
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You’re so right about not comparing your success to others’. This carries over to so many different areas of life. Here’s to your speedy-quick run in Tracy time!!
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Thanks, friend! Comparison never works unless it’s for one of those awful “compare and contrast” essays. Ugh. 🙂
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