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The Power Of The Plod

Today I managed to drag myself out for a plod. It's about 3wks since my last plod - how awful is that!

That's what this post is about!

I decided that I would go for a plod and just enjoy it. I have a digital OS map so left the GPS and HRM at home and just went off with my watch. I had grand plans of a long enjoyable run where the sun was out but not too hot, the sky was blue and my legs played ball!

In reality I was plodding along thinking "wonder what pace this is? How far is this? what time?" and by 20mins I was walking. This was followed by "20mins and walking? No! awful! Bad!" and then I went through all the advice I have given newbies over the months, years about slowing down and enjoying themselves and I continued to struggle on finding it hard to keep running. It was now that I started thinking about how long it was since my last plod. Why was it so long? Why was I such a slob? How could I expect to get better when I do bugger all!?!?!

Then I realised. I like running but somewhere along the line I had stopped enjoying it. I had become fixed on times, HR, speed and distance. I like getting a PB and that feels good but I wasn't enjoying it. Today I had a short plod and had gone out with the purpose of just enjoying the run for the sake of it and still I was full of facts and figures and I wasn't enjoying it.

How tragic is that? I used to enjoy running! I enjoyed my plods where I would watch the world go by and spot the wildlife and listen to the birds. All I heard today was my head trying to work out pace and distance. That's bad. Why else do we run if not to enjoy it? My swimming is going the same way ...clock watching.

A few weeks ago I watched FLM and commented on here about how sad it was to see elites so focused on time they could have "accidents" and still keep running. I said how awful it must be to be that focused and that I didn't want that. In my own little way I have been doing that though.

So I'm going to try and re-kindle my love affair with running and being fit. I'm going to start to run for fun and enjoy it. Yes I can still work out time and distance and I have the OS map and a watch but I'm going to try and focus less on that and more on actually enjoying myself. I will do the same with swimming ... yes I will use my finger watch thing but only so I don't have to count! Why count when the watch can do it for you!

How can I even think about a GFA if I'm not having fun? Why would I want to work on something that isn't enjoyable?

So that's that! FUN comes 1st!

PS for the record ... 2.5m in 34:15!

Comments

fraggle said…
Wise words there Pix - I'm going to do something similar, and wait until I've been running regularly (and happily) for a while *before* I enter my next race!
2:37 PM, May 07, 2006
Evil Pixie said…
SB!! {bows} honoured to see you!
3:01 PM, May 08, 2006
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