Nothing makes me more convinced that time and space are relative, than running the last 10k of a marathon. While the 6 marathons have all had unique experiences, the last part of the races have all shared a similar phenomena to varying degrees.
I believe a couple things start to open up during our runs. We begin to drift and settle into a trance of repetitive footfalls, breathing, and a lull of the speed of our vision the sights passing in our periphery. Mentally, we go from quick passing miles filled with adrenaline and optimism, into a drone of steady lapse during the middle of monotonous miles, until we start to hit, fight, and make our way through and beyond "the Wall." It is here where I have felt, along with countless other runners who may testify to the existence of what seems to be almost another dimension of the aforementioned shift of experience in time and space. I cant speak for all people, or even for all times of any given runner, but nonetheless having experienced this relativeness of our universal constructs shifting, where - time seems to almost freeze into a singularity of moment, and distance seems to stretch well beyond our conditioned experience of measurement, going through these final stages we come out on the other side of the finish line a new believer into worlds just beyond the veil, only entered through pain, trust, faith, fatigue, and strength synergized between mind, body, and spirit.
It was while listening to Audrey Assad's Joy of the Lord as I mowed the lawn today, that I began to muse on a collective thought from her words in the song, "The Joy of the Lord is my Strength", along with the pastor's reading in church today from Colossians 1:11, "being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance with patience with joy." As goes with most spiritual wisdom in the vein of counterintuitive-ness, it's not through an extraordinary portion of might or power that God gives, demonstrates, or teaches us in his showcase of strength, but it's through the ways of enduring, staying with, patience, faith, remaining, abiding, that we tap into and reflect and showcase the strength of God....that ultimately changes our trial into a joy, that is the result of a higher transformation, one that leaves us new and better, where as if we only were wielding the strength of God for our own advantage or short sighted, immature request to begin with. And so it goes, we come out of the refiners fire a better version or our self than we could dare even dream to ask going into our tribulation, trough, or dark night, that once again gives credence to God's ways being higher than ours.
the last thread that weaves into this post is drawing on the concept of time. Spiritual teachers of most traditions, including Christianity, will share that it is in the present that we can find peace. The hurt or pain of the past, and the anxiety of the future are not where we would be advised to spend our mental time. Reading C.S. Lewis The Screwtape Letters, he writes: "The Present is the point at which time touches eternity. Future is, of all things, the thing least like eternity. It is unknown, UN-Realized. For the past is frozen and no longer flows, and the Present is all lit up with eternal rays."
When you are hitting the wall in a marathon, as time slams to a halt, and the miles stretch on like a never ending horizon, the only friend you have is the present moment. It's as if we have reached a point in our bodily and mental fatigue that has stripped away all unrealities, shedding the unnecessary weight mentally and spiritually that we can no longer bare to carry, that we come to a stark and sober clarity of the present that gets us through to the finish. Recalling what we've accomplished thus far will either leave us with regret of how we went about getting to this point of pain, or a sense of pride of having done enough as is it, that those thoughts could derail us, just as much as thinking of how far we still have to go, and how we ever are going to get there, questioning how it ever could be, is also equally as dangerous. The mantra becomes "one foot in front of the other" in a lock step of present moment that eventually we find that finish line tape.
the strength we find in our endurance of the race in a marathon, or the just as real analogous 'marathon of life', is where we ultimately find our joy in the completion of being carried through by coming face to face with the present. There isn't a strength to achieve patience, but patience is the achievement of strength. amen.
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Monday, March 19, 2012
The Fragility of Running
This was thought up on my run, of which I just finished not more than 5 mins ago...
Long distance running is one of the most delicate and sensitive sports. This is something I have thought about since college. No other sport's scale of performance slides as much by the balance of so many variables that go on on an hourly basis, every day of the week, every week of the month.
Let alone your diet, sleep history, and stress levels - how you train, when you train, and the conditions of your training all play into this equation which ebbs and flows daily and is manifested in your most recent run. Not even regularity promises improvement, assuming you are correctly following all the other "non running" related factors. How you train is just as big of a piece of the puzzle.
Continuing to run each day like you have been won't get you to the next level, although it will get easier to do. You have to train harder and faster. You can't continue to do what you have been doing, and magically get better. You have to shoot for new target times, you have to push yourself into deeper pain, and you have to go further. And once you bring this new piece to the table, you then slide the scale further towards the risk of injury and burnout, and premature peaking.
Even from a merely recreational standpoint, you'll notice this phenomenon from time to time when you have a great run on a Friday, take a couple days off on the weekend, and go out on a Monday and wonder why in the hell it hurts so bad and you are so much slower and lethargic. The degree to which you feel a "random" off day is not as noticeable as it would be in basketball, soccer, or football. Yes, those are skill sports, and the off day happens nevertheless in any of those sports - but having played many sports, I've never been as amazed at how delicate and needy running is.
So many things come into play with how you will feel on your next run. Sometimes you can't put your finger on it, and sometimes the answer is clear. Running is a needy mistress. She takes time, effort, attention to detail, and persistence to get over the rough patch of your training and keep on going...all while trying to balance the scale to achieve your goals.
Today was one of those days. I had a pretty poor outing, but I got through it. I have a constant battle with wanting high performance, and also living how ever I want. Both cannot be achieved, but I'm never convinced to allow one to rule. Such is my state, and such is true for many things in life. However, I am proud to say that while the battle wages on in running, my maturity in other more important parts of life have improved.
Happy running....
Long distance running is one of the most delicate and sensitive sports. This is something I have thought about since college. No other sport's scale of performance slides as much by the balance of so many variables that go on on an hourly basis, every day of the week, every week of the month.
Let alone your diet, sleep history, and stress levels - how you train, when you train, and the conditions of your training all play into this equation which ebbs and flows daily and is manifested in your most recent run. Not even regularity promises improvement, assuming you are correctly following all the other "non running" related factors. How you train is just as big of a piece of the puzzle.
Continuing to run each day like you have been won't get you to the next level, although it will get easier to do. You have to train harder and faster. You can't continue to do what you have been doing, and magically get better. You have to shoot for new target times, you have to push yourself into deeper pain, and you have to go further. And once you bring this new piece to the table, you then slide the scale further towards the risk of injury and burnout, and premature peaking.
Even from a merely recreational standpoint, you'll notice this phenomenon from time to time when you have a great run on a Friday, take a couple days off on the weekend, and go out on a Monday and wonder why in the hell it hurts so bad and you are so much slower and lethargic. The degree to which you feel a "random" off day is not as noticeable as it would be in basketball, soccer, or football. Yes, those are skill sports, and the off day happens nevertheless in any of those sports - but having played many sports, I've never been as amazed at how delicate and needy running is.
So many things come into play with how you will feel on your next run. Sometimes you can't put your finger on it, and sometimes the answer is clear. Running is a needy mistress. She takes time, effort, attention to detail, and persistence to get over the rough patch of your training and keep on going...all while trying to balance the scale to achieve your goals.
Today was one of those days. I had a pretty poor outing, but I got through it. I have a constant battle with wanting high performance, and also living how ever I want. Both cannot be achieved, but I'm never convinced to allow one to rule. Such is my state, and such is true for many things in life. However, I am proud to say that while the battle wages on in running, my maturity in other more important parts of life have improved.
Happy running....
Thursday, November 18, 2010
updates from Hilton Garden Inn - Nashville
what's up people?! Just got back to my room and decided to throw the ipod touch on and listen to some jams insted of turn the TV on. I enjoy music when I've had a couple beers, and thought I'd give you an update on the training and life. As I am currently in my hotel room thinking I need to go to bed soon in order to be up at 4am for my 5:30am flight, figured I might as well do a blog post. It's kind of my way of unwinding and I also wanted to get up my solid workout from last night - but keeping with the training log I need to first go in date order of my runs since my last post. So............
Sunday - I should have run, but I was lazy and didn't run. Felt kind of guilty since I only ran 3 days for the week, but whatever.
Monday - Katie and I have been going to the hospital for some child birth classes the last 3 mondays at 630, which I must say have kept me from going to a couple of Bobcats games, but it's a sacrifice worth making in exchange for my soon to be here little Girl. So once I got home from work, I had just enough time to squeez in a 4 mile run. Katie made Chicken and Dumplings, one of my favorite meals, and I had to get back to eat that and be off to class. Did the 4 miles in a nice low 7 min pace. I must say I was surprised my legs felt as good as they did, given this was the first run since the 20 miler.
Tuesday - David and Oelz came over and after work we set out from my house. It was already dark when we started, and we hit up the nice hilly 8 mile route through Montclair and Huntington Farms, and tacked on some more in Montclair to give us 9.5 for the day, in 7.50 pace. Again the legs felt surprisingly good - and it was a nice run all in all.
Wednesday - Track workout. Wanted to revisit the 3x2 mile, but thought we would tack on a little extra distance for good measure. We met at AG Bell at 5:40 and did a 1.6 mile warm up, and then were off on the dark track (they had turned the lights off so we were going to be doing this in the dark, with cool temperatures. Must say it was a cool setting). First set we did 4k (2.5 miles=10 laps). Splits, 6.24, 6.24, 3.03. Felt real comfortable. Took just over 2 mins rest and we were at it again for the second set. 3.6k for the second set (9 laps, 2.25 miles). Splits: 6.04, 5.57, 1.29. This one felt comfortable the first mile and dropped it at a nice pace and held on with ease. Waited a bit and after 2.40 rest was off for the last set. 2 miles (8 laps would be the distance here) splits: 5.45, 5.37. After the long break I felt a little sluggish but was able to push it through the first mile, and finally get in a rythem and drop the hammer for a solid last miles. Maybe a little faster than necessary for marathon training, but as has been typical for the week - my legs felt good and I decided to get after it. I think I went through the last 400m in 65 seconds. Ended with a 2.4 mile cool down.
for the 6.75 miles of the "workout" I averaged 6.00 min pace, so it was a great day on the track. Running on the track always gets me jacked, and im reminded why I enjoyed more success in running in oval circles rather than dirt path courses.
11 miles for the day on this Wednesday.
Anyway, that is the catch up in training. As I'm here in my hotel, I can report that I didnt' run as I was busy with visits, and am hoping I get to get in a run tomorrow, because Saturday I am not going to be running with the APP UF game, since I"ll be in Gainsveille.
Goodnight to my blog readers. Gotta get some sleep and call wifey.
EGGERS
Sunday - I should have run, but I was lazy and didn't run. Felt kind of guilty since I only ran 3 days for the week, but whatever.
Monday - Katie and I have been going to the hospital for some child birth classes the last 3 mondays at 630, which I must say have kept me from going to a couple of Bobcats games, but it's a sacrifice worth making in exchange for my soon to be here little Girl. So once I got home from work, I had just enough time to squeez in a 4 mile run. Katie made Chicken and Dumplings, one of my favorite meals, and I had to get back to eat that and be off to class. Did the 4 miles in a nice low 7 min pace. I must say I was surprised my legs felt as good as they did, given this was the first run since the 20 miler.
Tuesday - David and Oelz came over and after work we set out from my house. It was already dark when we started, and we hit up the nice hilly 8 mile route through Montclair and Huntington Farms, and tacked on some more in Montclair to give us 9.5 for the day, in 7.50 pace. Again the legs felt surprisingly good - and it was a nice run all in all.
Wednesday - Track workout. Wanted to revisit the 3x2 mile, but thought we would tack on a little extra distance for good measure. We met at AG Bell at 5:40 and did a 1.6 mile warm up, and then were off on the dark track (they had turned the lights off so we were going to be doing this in the dark, with cool temperatures. Must say it was a cool setting). First set we did 4k (2.5 miles=10 laps). Splits, 6.24, 6.24, 3.03. Felt real comfortable. Took just over 2 mins rest and we were at it again for the second set. 3.6k for the second set (9 laps, 2.25 miles). Splits: 6.04, 5.57, 1.29. This one felt comfortable the first mile and dropped it at a nice pace and held on with ease. Waited a bit and after 2.40 rest was off for the last set. 2 miles (8 laps would be the distance here) splits: 5.45, 5.37. After the long break I felt a little sluggish but was able to push it through the first mile, and finally get in a rythem and drop the hammer for a solid last miles. Maybe a little faster than necessary for marathon training, but as has been typical for the week - my legs felt good and I decided to get after it. I think I went through the last 400m in 65 seconds. Ended with a 2.4 mile cool down.
for the 6.75 miles of the "workout" I averaged 6.00 min pace, so it was a great day on the track. Running on the track always gets me jacked, and im reminded why I enjoyed more success in running in oval circles rather than dirt path courses.
11 miles for the day on this Wednesday.
Anyway, that is the catch up in training. As I'm here in my hotel, I can report that I didnt' run as I was busy with visits, and am hoping I get to get in a run tomorrow, because Saturday I am not going to be running with the APP UF game, since I"ll be in Gainsveille.
Goodnight to my blog readers. Gotta get some sleep and call wifey.
EGGERS
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Hello!!
I guess for my first posting, I will give thought to why I now suddenly am blogging. I think a lot of it has to do with my personality and just how I am. I've never been known to be a real "book-smart" person, a great thinker, or one who writes or does brainy things; but I am someone who does like to dabble in new trends, and is not one to shy away from the latest fads of society. I guess until now I never had an interest in blogging because I never really had an inspiration or a platform that my blog would center around.
I have been a runner...more accuratly, was a runner, from the time I was 16 until I was 21. Going to a new school for high school, and not wanting to play soccer anymore in the fall season, I decided to try cross country to keep me occupied and figured it was a good "sport" to get me in shape for my favorite sport basketball. It was fun, and I met some good friends that year which made the transistion to Charlotte Christian in 9th grade easier. After JV basketball I figured I would do track since I enjoyed cross country, and never really got into baseball growing up anyway. As the next year rolled around, I of course did cross country again but this time started having some relative success. I made all conference and all state that year and really started to enjoy running. After the season and about 2 weeks into basketball season, I decided to quit basketball and join the indoor track team for a couple of reasons. Primarily I did not enjoy the coaches for basketball, and I knew that I had more long term potential with running. I regret missing out on a fun year with my good friends who made up the basketball team, as that would have been a fun way to part with basketball, but at the same time indoor track was something in which I went on to be the school's "mvp" that season, and also served as a spring board into my serious running career.
After highschool, I ran cross country, indoor and outdoor track at Appalchian State University for 2 and a half years. (3 cross country seasons and 2 track seasons.) The reason I didn't run the whole time I was at App was simply because I got burned out. I know I probably didn't reach my full potential, (and I never really struggled with injuries) but at the same time I am glad I got to experience the college life aside from the huge commitment that is being part of an NCAA sports team.
Since the day I told my coach I was going to "hang up the spikes", running has predomently become something I have only done from time to time. The fact that I quit running due to being "burnt-out" I haven't considered myself a "runner" since then. That could change.
When Katie and I moved this summer into our first house, one thing that I started doing was jogging around the neighborhood so as to get a feel for the new surroundings. As summer turned to fall I was planning on doing the Turkey Trot again on Thanksgiving so I was running a little bit here and there...probably 10-15 miles a week. While we were at ASU for Homecoming I was talking to Carson Blackwelder - an old teammate of mine at App - catching up like old friends do. He has never become burnt out on running as far as I can tell, and after college has been a coach for Morehead in Kentucky and now currently South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg. Aside from that, he told me he was running a marathon over Thanksgiving in Philly with another one of our old teammates. I told him that was something I definitly wanted to do at some point in my life. (The way I figure, as much running as I have done, I have better at least be able to say that I have run a marathon in my lifetime. ) I saw Carson the next weekend at Brain Deal's wedding in Boone, and he encouraged me, like Nike says, to "just do it. Don't worry about what your time will be - you can do it easier than you think", he said.
I'm not sure why - but I decided to go for it. I started looking at Marathons all around the US. I wanted to pick one that met a few criteria. I wanted to pick one that was not too far off - so I wouldn't loose motivation; and I wanted to pick one that was not too soon, so I would have at least a decent amount of time to train. The other thing I wanted my marathon to accomplish was that it be in a fun location. I ended up finding a couple that might fit the time frames, but the reason I decided on the A1A Marathon in Ft. Lauderdale is because I could also visit my good friend Evan down in Boca Raton like I've said I wanted to do for sometime.
After I picked my marathon, I started googling marathon training one day and found that a standard training calander is 16 weeks. When I did the math, I realized I would only have a few more days of "casual-every-now-and-then" running before I had to get dedicated. With my first marathon on Feb. 21st, my traning started the week of Nov. 2nd.
All that to say, I now have a platform with which to blog. My hopes are that posting and seeing my entries will encourage me to stay motivated and dedicated for ever how long I stay on this running kick, and while doing so will use this as a medium to express myself through ideas, thoughts, and whatever else I feel like sharing. The blog name represent Philippians 4:8, which says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." I chose this because I want this to be positive outlet, and I was trying to think of something cool for a name in general that made people go - what does that mean?!
With that, I close my first ever blog post and sincerely wish thanks to anyone who reads this!
-Daniel Eggers
I have been a runner...more accuratly, was a runner, from the time I was 16 until I was 21. Going to a new school for high school, and not wanting to play soccer anymore in the fall season, I decided to try cross country to keep me occupied and figured it was a good "sport" to get me in shape for my favorite sport basketball. It was fun, and I met some good friends that year which made the transistion to Charlotte Christian in 9th grade easier. After JV basketball I figured I would do track since I enjoyed cross country, and never really got into baseball growing up anyway. As the next year rolled around, I of course did cross country again but this time started having some relative success. I made all conference and all state that year and really started to enjoy running. After the season and about 2 weeks into basketball season, I decided to quit basketball and join the indoor track team for a couple of reasons. Primarily I did not enjoy the coaches for basketball, and I knew that I had more long term potential with running. I regret missing out on a fun year with my good friends who made up the basketball team, as that would have been a fun way to part with basketball, but at the same time indoor track was something in which I went on to be the school's "mvp" that season, and also served as a spring board into my serious running career.
After highschool, I ran cross country, indoor and outdoor track at Appalchian State University for 2 and a half years. (3 cross country seasons and 2 track seasons.) The reason I didn't run the whole time I was at App was simply because I got burned out. I know I probably didn't reach my full potential, (and I never really struggled with injuries) but at the same time I am glad I got to experience the college life aside from the huge commitment that is being part of an NCAA sports team.
Since the day I told my coach I was going to "hang up the spikes", running has predomently become something I have only done from time to time. The fact that I quit running due to being "burnt-out" I haven't considered myself a "runner" since then. That could change.
When Katie and I moved this summer into our first house, one thing that I started doing was jogging around the neighborhood so as to get a feel for the new surroundings. As summer turned to fall I was planning on doing the Turkey Trot again on Thanksgiving so I was running a little bit here and there...probably 10-15 miles a week. While we were at ASU for Homecoming I was talking to Carson Blackwelder - an old teammate of mine at App - catching up like old friends do. He has never become burnt out on running as far as I can tell, and after college has been a coach for Morehead in Kentucky and now currently South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg. Aside from that, he told me he was running a marathon over Thanksgiving in Philly with another one of our old teammates. I told him that was something I definitly wanted to do at some point in my life. (The way I figure, as much running as I have done, I have better at least be able to say that I have run a marathon in my lifetime. ) I saw Carson the next weekend at Brain Deal's wedding in Boone, and he encouraged me, like Nike says, to "just do it. Don't worry about what your time will be - you can do it easier than you think", he said.
I'm not sure why - but I decided to go for it. I started looking at Marathons all around the US. I wanted to pick one that met a few criteria. I wanted to pick one that was not too far off - so I wouldn't loose motivation; and I wanted to pick one that was not too soon, so I would have at least a decent amount of time to train. The other thing I wanted my marathon to accomplish was that it be in a fun location. I ended up finding a couple that might fit the time frames, but the reason I decided on the A1A Marathon in Ft. Lauderdale is because I could also visit my good friend Evan down in Boca Raton like I've said I wanted to do for sometime.
After I picked my marathon, I started googling marathon training one day and found that a standard training calander is 16 weeks. When I did the math, I realized I would only have a few more days of "casual-every-now-and-then" running before I had to get dedicated. With my first marathon on Feb. 21st, my traning started the week of Nov. 2nd.
All that to say, I now have a platform with which to blog. My hopes are that posting and seeing my entries will encourage me to stay motivated and dedicated for ever how long I stay on this running kick, and while doing so will use this as a medium to express myself through ideas, thoughts, and whatever else I feel like sharing. The blog name represent Philippians 4:8, which says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." I chose this because I want this to be positive outlet, and I was trying to think of something cool for a name in general that made people go - what does that mean?!
With that, I close my first ever blog post and sincerely wish thanks to anyone who reads this!
-Daniel Eggers
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