The hardest thing about running can be getting out of bed to do it

Every time I race I post my race number on a wall in my office. I like the way they look and it's a constant reminder of the need and benefit of balancing work and non-work activities. People often ask me about my running when they see this display. Recently, when I told a person that I run at 4:00 in the morning they said I'm fortunate that I find that an easy thing to do. I didn't correct them (how can you explain voluntary suffering to a non-runner?) but it made me think about what I do to maintain a consistent schedule of running and fitness.

Every morning, when I wake up, I know I'll need to talk myself into my daily activity. It starts with guilt. I know that if I give into the desire to rest I'll regret that decision for the rest of the day. My wife said a similar thing to me about it in terms of her motivation. It's a slippery slope and inconsistency only makes it harder. When I went out this morning for my run I knew that I'd be facing more than sleepiness once the first slap of chilly air hit my face. The starting point was 23 degrees and the wind probably pushed it down to the low teens. I knew I had a couple of miles ahead of me so I started thinking about things that would help me finish so I could return to my warm house and watch the news at 4:30 AM with a hot cup of coffee in hand. I was once told by a trainer that my walking stride is very efficient, it's almost as if I'm walking downhill when I'm not. As I ran this morning I imagined that I was running downhill the entire time. This worked for me and I felt as though I could push harder and that helped generate some heat which made me more comfortable.

By the time I finished I'd covered about 2.25 miles and while I'd warmed up some over that 20 minutes I was still very cold when I reached my house. I don't spring out of bed every day in anticipation of my running experience. There's a figurative wall to climb to get out the door. Sometimes that wall is so high it seems impossible to breach. Most of the time I figure it out even if I have to trick myself into doing it. But I know that the only way my collection of race numbers will grow is to do what I do every morning.

Why I used to hate running

During this morning's run I thought about the reasons why I used to be so negative about running. Back in the early '90's I would get up and do a daily run through the streets of NYC, come back, shower and head to work. Those days I was working at a newspaper that published six editions, the first going out at 8:00 PM and the last around 3:30 AM. I'm not sure when I slept because I was often in the office by 11:00 AM and I didn't usually get home until 4:00 AM. With a run between sleep and work it could have been a positive thing but trying to make progress through the city streets at 9:30 AM on a business day was often frustrating if not dangerous.

Looking back, the other reason I think I disliked running is that I never mastered the use of aerobic energy. Most of my runs were collections of sprints punctuated by stoplights where I'd run in place waiting for the cross signal. In between the experience was somewhat like trail running except instead of dodging branches I'd be dodging foot traffic, strollers, dogs on leashes and cars doing illegal lefts on red. I'd return to my apartment each time asking myself what it was that I enjoyed about this routine. Eventually I stopped altogether and now when I think about it, for good reason.

I finished my 2.55 mile run this morning in a little over 22 minutes. I realized during this run that my ability to balance aerobic and anaerobic energy has made a big difference in my enjoyment of running. It's not always easy and sometimes it's quite hard but I never return home questioning why I run.

Dark windy rainy running

My first thought before I changed into my running gear this morning was how easy it would be to skip my outside run and spend 30 minutes on the elliptical machine instead. Not that I'm so much a creature of habit that I can't occasionally deviate a little from my routine (Thursdays are normally my elliptical days) but a decision to not run would indicate a lack of discipline. While I proceeded to change I noticed some sounds outside that made me wonder about the weather. At 4:00 AM it's very dark and difficult to see much out the window. It sounded like wind so I chose a long sleeve tech jersey for its more thermal properties.

As I watched the garage door rise to reveal the conditions of the day I saw that the driveway was black with rain coming from a moderate downpour illuminated by the street lights. I rethought my plan to run and reconsidered the elliptical but decided to go for it despite the rain. I have been fortunate to avoid rain for months on these morning runs but I knew that some day that streak would end. I started the Garmin and headed out thinking I could always head back home if it became too unpleasant. As it turned out my experience was great. The air had a strong ocean smell, the temperature, while cool, was still comfortable. The rain helped maintain the coolness and I was pacing briskly.

During the run the rain started falling harder but let up soon after. Between the wind and the trees I got plenty wet but it wasn't unpleasant although the wicking properties of my running clothes were quickly overwhelmed. My jersey probably accumulated 8 ounces of rainwater during the 20+ minutes I was out running. I came home after covering 2.3 miles at 8:48. I thought I was running better than normal for that time of day and the numbers showed that to be true. I'm not hoping for rain tomorrow but if it comes I'll know how to make the best of it.

My first year running anniversary

I didn't intend today's post to be another rant about technology but, through some glitch I can't really understand, I've lost the post I wrote for today. The iPhone strikes again. That's all I'll say about it.

So one year ago today I completed my first continuous run of any measurable length (more than a mile but just barely) after six weeks of fitness walking. That led to workouts that included walking with some running that then switched to running with some walking. On October 1, 2008 I just ran and that's been the case ever since.

Over the past year I've reached speed and distance goals that I would have never thought possible last October 1st. I've learned to love trail running and I've explored city running in ways I'd never experienced before. Running has become part of the family lifestyle and we're all active. My wife, who inspired my return to running through her tenacious and consistent daily workouts, has continued to inspire me. My kids enjoy my running and they have started to make it their own. Adventure Girl, my city running partner, has returned to school but she has left me with the spirit of adventure that I maintain through solo runs in Central Park. My friends and accomplished runners CMc and CK continue to view my progress with amusement and provide invaluable lessons on technique and expectations. People, like my dad, patiently listen to my running stories and genuinely seem to care about my progress. Emergingrunner.com and Runner's World Loop readers have provided guidance, information, support and friendship that has helped to motivate both my running and writing. Thank you all for a great year.

Today I chose to do an elliptical session rather than a symbolic run to commemorate this anniversary. I chose to go this way because running has simply become part of what I do, like taking the LIRR into the city each day. Although I suffer less when running. There are still many trails to run and adventures to be had. I hope I am as excited and motivated next October 1st as I am today.

Motivation please

Today is a rest day. I usually take Thursdays for recovery so there's nothing unusual about that. In reality there was no reason to rest today except laziness and I'm disappointed that I took the easy way out this morning. Prior to August I rested on Thursdays to prepare for my weekend distance that usually started with a long city run on Friday. Since AG left for school I've only done a few of these runs by myself and, due to my schedule, I'm not planning to run in the city tomorrow. So a couple of miles today and a couple more tomorrow, early, would have been the right thing to do. I'd hoped that my 7.6 mile PDR on Labor Day would motivate me to run longer distances but since that run I have not had another good (long) one. This weekend was a disappointment as Saturday's run was purposely kept to around 2 miles because I was tapering for Sunday's race. Since I ended up not racing I did my long run in the surrounding neighborhoods and I only covered 3.9 miles. After that (not counting my run with my daughter) it's been a couple of early morning 2+ mile workouts and one 25 minute elliptical session.

Tomorrow I will get out and run regardless of how I feel. If I have to draw on guilt to get me out the door I will. I'm training for a marathon relay so on Saturday I'm hoping to get a long run in, perhaps on the trails. I have a jammed schedule that day so I may need to settle for 4 miles or less. On Sunday I will attempt to run 3 miles and then another 6 a couple of hours later to simulate my legs in the race. I may aim for 2 and 5 miles respectively since I don't know how I'll feel and I don't want to encourage an injury. I'm looking forward to doing that because it's different and it's also a realistic challenge. I hope I'm feeling positive when I wake up tomorrow. I'm learning that attitude is everything when it comes to achieving good performance on my runs.

Fear of looking down

When I was a kid I would watch cartoons on Saturday morning and puzzle over certain behaviors. For example, characters would run off a cliff or off a building and keep going until they looked down and realized there was nothing underfoot. They would then plummet straight to the ground, the law of gravity finally taking hold. I used to wonder "What if they hadn't looked down?" It made me appreciate how people can defeat themselves by over thinking what works for them.

After almost a year of dedicated running I still find myself in the same tenuous place as those cartoon characters. The idea of being a competent runner is still aspirational and even after ticking off 7+ miles on Monday I still feel that my progress will evaporate if I think too hard about what I'm doing. It sounds crazy but I sometimes feel like I've fooled myself into thinking I can run the distances that I run. That if I really start thinking about it I'll revert back to where I was last September when running a continuous mile was my most challenging goal. I think back to my previous running experience when I put off a run one day because my running partner was out of town and didn't return to the road for sixteen years. I fear looking down because I'll always see that it's easier to stop than to keep going.

I got out this morning at 4:00 AM although I still had some residual soreness from what was (for me) a long run on Monday. The air was pleasant, not as cool as the last time I did this early run, but far less humid than in August. I covered 2.4 miles at mid 9:00 pace and thought about the forces that would make me stop running and head back home for a hot cup of coffee and a warm bed. If I learned anything over the last sixteen years it's that a little suffering can pay off in big ways. I don't know if I'll ever lose that fear of looking down and seeing that I'm really not the runner I think I am. Maybe that's okay because I achieved a personal distance record this week. Things are looking up.

SSD: Short slow distance

So much of running involves training: intervals, tempo runs, hill work and other exercises that can make you a better runner. Doing these things will help make you run faster and be more competitive and the harder you work (within reason) the better level of fitness you will attain.

I appreciate all that and while my dedication to hard workouts falls short of many I will step it up for a race. In the meantime I'm discovering that recreational running is equally important in terms of self motivation. What's the difference between recreational running and training? For one thing, when running for fun the only reason I check my Garmin is to monitor the time I've been out on the road. I purposely avoid toggling the controls to look at pace, distance or heart rate. In these cases it's often a surprise at the end to see how far and how fast I ran. Most of the time I'll see that I'd run slower than I thought. Still, it's okay because I enjoyed the experience.

After about 10 months of dedicated running I am now able to run for fun. My starting struggles from months past have largely disappeared and I have enough stamina to go some miles before the suffering starts. This morning I awoke with a lot on my mind. I have some stress weighing on me right now. I have tremendous support from my family and that helps a lot. As I prepared to go outside for a run I thought about what I wanted to do in terms of distance and speed. I thought that by running hard I might clear my head of some stress. When I got outside and started to run I noted that my right leg was still hurting and I moderated my pace to minimize strain. I took it easy hoping that once I'd warmed up the pain would go away. The conditions outside were perfect, both cool and dry. My energy level was high and the neighborhood was quiet and peaceful. Although my leg felt better a few minutes into the run I decided to maintain a comfortable pace and just enjoy the ride.

When I got home I saw that I'd covered 2.1 miles at about a 9:40 pace. I'm sure my slow start contributed to that. But it didn't matter at all. I felt great and was ready to face a tough day. Running short slow distance served me well today.

I used to run but...

Okay, I talk about running a lot. It's a great subject for casual conversation, especially with people you don't know well. While it might be dangerous to discuss politics or religion with acquaintances, mentioning that you run usually evokes the following responses:

1. I run too. What pace/distances do you run?

2. I run a couple of times a week. That's often followed by "but it's been a while since I've actually run."

3. Oh, I can't run. It's so boring.

4. I used to run but...

- My knees couldn't take it.
- I don't have time anymore.
- I realized I hated it.
- I wasn't any good at it.
- It was too much of a commitment
- I couldn't stay motivated.
- Now I swim, bike, weight train, etc.

Every once in a while mentioning running will spark enough interest to get people to try it. More than one person has told me they've taken up running (curiously it's often via the treadmill) after I've mentioned what I do. I still get "You've lost weight, how did you do that?" from people whom I haven't seen for a while. People love to talk about fitness and diet and they like hearing how small changes in both can make a real difference.

I don't try to convince people to run and I try to avoid the fanatic zealotry that often comes from those who find great satisfaction from athletic activities. Like I said before, it's best to avoid conversations about religion.

Thanks coach

Over the past nine months I've put some serious time and energy towards running and fitness. It's been a great experience and the benefits are clear. Although running is a form of voluntary suffering, I'd define it as a good kind of pain. Unlike my first attempt at serious running, I've been careful to minimize elements that de-motivate me (unrealistic expectations, unfavorable running conditions, unstructured monitoring of progress) and instead focus on those things that promote my interest. A big part of that is the guidance I've received from other, more experienced runners who have helped me set my goals and expectations.

Among those who have brought me along are my friends CK and CMcC who are both accomplished runners who have competed for decades and probably have over a dozen marathons between them. They are both low-key athletes who are long past the surface level fascination with the sport. They don't need a GPS to tell them how far or how fast they've run. They know what works and what doesn't, how to train and how to avoid injury. They are generous in their advice and I listen closely. I am fortunate to have a shortcut to progress. Another big source of valuable information is Adventure Girl, my work colleague and running partner. Although I have some years on her I am definitely the student when it comes to running. She's helped me set expectations and has given me great encouragement over all these months. Her guidance on choosing running gear has been extremely valuable, as has the coaching she's given to me as I prepared for my first races. AG will soon reduce the amount of time she'll spend at the office as she starts her Master's studies at Yale in a few months. The good news is that she'll be part of my team for the next two years. That's great because I still have lots of learning to do.

I have a new coach and he is very focused on my training program. He's my 9 year old son and he's taken it upon himself to design a daily training program for me. On his own he's structured a schedule that includes tempo runs, cross training and distance runs. He tells me things like "Daddy, if you want, you can trade a distance run for a trail run next weekend." When I come home from a long run and tell him I ran 4 miles he'll say, "That's very good, next time you can do 5." He's tough but fair. If I follow his program I'm sure I'll be in great shape for my June 7th 8K. In addition, both my wife, who's been active since I've known her, and my daughter, who is a natural athlete and runs with me occasionally, have been there for me throughout my return to running. They encourage my activity and indulge my interest. Most importantly, they always make sure I never leave the house for a run dressed too weird for public viewing.

This morning I ran 5.3 miles (Gmap verified) at 9:08 although my Garmin under-counted by almost 5%. I can accept the variance but it's annoying that sometimes it over counts and other times it under-counts within a 5% range. I guess I'll need to put it through the manual calibration process to get it as close as it was prior to the battery and shoe switch.

I've been monitoring Adventure Girl's progress through Twitter and they are on the last cycle of the race (12 runners each running 3 legs). The last Tweet is from an hour ago when she was about to start her third and final run, 6.7 miles, just in time for rain. Sounds like the team is doing well and tracking to pace. 182 miles in 24 hours. That will be something to reflect on when they're done. For now it's probably just a lot of work.

You are what you run

I noticed that today's run was the 200th workout I've recorded on MapMyRun since last September. Overall I've run 360 miles since that time and I've burned 45,930 calories in the process. 84% of my recorded workouts are runs and the remainder is cross training, mostly on the elliptical. MapMyRun green calculations are Gas Saved:, 19.83 gallons, Money Saved: $69.00 and Carbon Offset: 383.9 lbs. of CO2. That's all well and good if I were running somewhere where I'd normally drive. With the exception of running a couple of books to the library I can't take credit for making a greener decision by running unless running has prevented me from driving to a different activity.

This morning I ran 3.46 miles around the neighborhood. It was 43 degrees but all reports said it would get increasingly colder and windier by mid day so I took off as soon as the rain stopped. It was very wet on the roads so I ran with my trail shoes although I saw few puddles and I could have got away with using my regular shoes. I started my run at 7:45 AM which is late for me and I was fascinated to see what my neighborhood looks like at that time. I was surprised to see a number of contractors working on houses and less surprised to see oil trucks filling up homes on almost every street. It's still pretty cold in February on LI. I was a little tired by the time I got home, my Garmin said I had run 3.3 miles but after mapping my route with Gmaps I saw that I had covered 3.46 miles. I think my attempt at calibrating the Garmin had backfired and put the tracking 5% off instead of the 3% variation it had without calibration. I've since adjusted the other way in hopes of getting it about right. I'll see how it works tomorrow if I decide to do a run instead of cross-training.

I know that most people are happy to estimate the distances they run but I need to know exactly what I've accomplished and how far I am from my goals. Now, when I have the luxury of time, I always run at least 5K outdoors. It was only months ago when that was a big wall to cross and I remind myself of that every time I step on the street, the track or the treadmill. I want to complete a 5 mile run before I return to the office next Monday. and I hope the weather cooperates over the weekend. 360 miles run, 45,930 calories burned and 200 workouts completed has done a lot for me but it's always the goal ahead that matters most.

One good thing leads to another

There are a number of good things that I attribute directly to running. Besides the obvious (better health, strength and stamina) and the things that go with that (weight regulation, improved physique) there are a few other things that I'm enjoying:

• Increased patience. There's something about distance running (even the distances that I run) that help set internal expectations for tedious events. I know that when I'm at the beginning third or quarter of a run I sometimes get annoyed by what I have left to go. This is especially true for treadmill running where the constants are usually time and blank wall space. More and more I am able to reach a zone where I can make use of the tedium by thinking about things with few distractions. This is a huge breakthrough for me and evidence that I've nudged up a bit from beginner to intermediate. Previously I was too distracted by the suffering to do much thinking but, as conditioning improves, I have more time to enjoy my runs. The concepts of bearing up through other tedious things in life (commuting, long meetings, checkout lines) apply here as well. My wife and kids may disagree but I think I am much more patient than I was 6 months ago.
• Broadened interests. First there was running but that led to running technologies and a greater interest in nutrition. I'm also looking forward to trail running (I know, just do it and stop writing about how I plan to do it!). I'm also thinking a lot more about integrating karate into my workouts and I'll probably go back to roller blading once it warms up and the streets are clear of snow and dirt. There are many more things than that but, possibly most important of all, it gives me something to write about.
• Energy. Let's just say I'm much more willing to do activities on the weekends than I used to...

Running and activity also enhances engagement with people in a way that I have not experienced in a long time. I work with many smart, dynamic people and I've discovered many of them run, cycle or do multiple sports. This website allows me to engage with people across the country and the world through an area of common interest. My wife has always been an active person and my activity now compliments hers. She even did some running this weekend although it's not her sport. Since the kids are getting into running it would be great if all four of us could run together. Running and general activity have enhanced every aspect of my life. What took me so long to come back to it?

Running to distractions

Were you to ask any group of runners the main reason why they run I'll bet most would say they do it because they just love running. Fair enough, there is much to be said for the experience. Among other things, there is the changing landscape, fresh air and the feeling that you are doing something challenging that also benefits your health. So what's not to love?

As I padded downstairs at 4:01 AM this morning to get my pre-run coffee it occurred to me that there are things about running that are not so easy to love. Like waking up every day at 4:00 and running by 4:10. Like enduring freezing cold winds, muscle pulls or hot humid conditions in the name of reaching your distance goals. I think most runners are okay with the idea of suffering. Somehow it plays into the love thing but I'm not a psychologist so I can't defend that theory. I'm discovering that my main source of suffering, fatigue, has begun to give way to a more insidious issue: tedium.

Running on the treadmill this morning yielded two emotional responses. The first was "Wow, this feels great, I wish I could run for another half hour." The second response came near the end of my allotted run time "OMG, I can't run in place while I stare at the furniture in the room for another minute." It's not just the treadmill either. This weekend, as I ran through my neighborhood without any fatigue and conditioning issues to distract me, I began to wish for something new to look at besides cars and houses.

This may be a reason why I'm thinking so much lately about trail running. It would be great to look at a changing landscape that actually is a landscape. I wonder if anyone sells systems that simulate outdoor running by projecting trails on the wall that move at the pace that you run. That may be overkill. I also keep thinking about spring when I can do my early weekday runs outdoors, providing there's enough light to see and be seen. That would be better than staring at a cabinet.

Rage against the machines

I got a note from a reader who asked me about my experience with the Brookstone Heart Rate Ring. She had a similar issue and wanted to understand my specific problems with the unit. My experience with this device was similar to my experience with the HRM on my elliptical machine: inaccurate and inconsistent readings. It makes me wonder if any HRMs on the market are capable of performing their simple but important task of accurately reporting a pulse rate in real time. I have been frustrated lately by an astonishing number of technology failures running the gamut of high and low tech. A few examples are shade pulls so over engineered that breaking the cord requires a home visit by a company service rep. Other technology frustrations include my long term search for a programmable switch for my outside house lights that doesn't fail within eight months of installation and flush mounted clothing hooks that require the use of specialized Allen wrenches when a simple screw would do.

Bringing this back to running, I've found that my frustration with the technologies that quantify performance comes as a result of a need to measure progress. I've had the experience where I failed to trigger the start of a run on my Sportband (it requires about 1,000 lbs. of pressure to activate the button) only to discover the problem ten minutes into my run. My irrational response to this is that I wasted my time. If that part of my run wasn't recorded then it didn't happen. So the key issue is I subconsciously value the metrics of running more than the workout itself. When the technology fails to capture the experience or records it incorrectly, irrational or not, it diminishes the way I value the effort.

Daily fitness - what gets me out of bed?

Back in the early '90's, when I was running regularly, I used to dread mornings because it meant that I had to get up, gear up and head out into the streets of Manhattan for my daily run. It was only by force of willpower that I did this. Although I knew that running was great exercise I really didn't like it. I went into running with the wrong expectations and struggled through my experience. My willpower was not strong and when my running partner left for two weeks to visit friends in LA I found it a convenient time to take a short break. That break ended in August of last year.

Today I get up and look forward to my run. If the weather is too severe for running I'm unhappy but I'll still run on the treadmill or I'll use the elliptical machine. People sometimes tell me that I must have great willpower to train every day. I wish that were the case but I must admit that it's not. I have no more willpower today than I did in August 1992 but my enthusiasm for running is much different now. Unlike my earlier experience when I chose distances that were too challenging, I've built up distance incrementally proportionate to an increased level of fitness. I also track performance and distance carefully so that I can set expectations and quantify progress. Back then, when running alone, I'd hit the street and run until I was exhausted, often walking home miles from where I began. I had no sense of whether I did better or worse from day to day. Technologies that passively track distance and mapping resources like Google Earth were not available to me then so I had to play it by ear. I also failed to appreciate the difference between a hostile and an enabling environment. Running the streets of NYC (with the exception of the NYC Marathon) is a dangerous and frustrating experience. Had I run in Central Park instead I may have had more motivation.

I run now because I love the experience. Cross training is part of that as well because better conditioning equals better fitness which allows me to run further and faster. As for willpower, I could use that to help me keep my resolution of taking skip days.

Rest days and best days

The early start of the work week caught up to me last night. After two weeks off from my 4:00 AM rise time I was exhausted. My wife (and chief Emerging Runner adviser) suggested that I take a rest day today since I've made it a goal to do that once a week. I decided to wait and see how I felt when I got up this morning after a (hopefully) good night's sleep. This morning, after some coffee, I still felt a little tired but I just couldn't put off my run. I've been at this long enough to know that sometimes the worst starts result in the best finishes. One thing I've learned over the past few months is that no matter how good I feel in the afternoon it rarely translates into a good running experience. Conversely I have experienced great runs when I felt like going back to bed and sleeping six more hours.

This morning was one of those times. I started at a moderate pace but felt energized so I stepped it up and ran a little over two miles in about 17 minutes. It was one of those rare runs where I finished much stronger than I started and I really wished I had another half hour so I could keep going. So today's lesson is that while you should listen to your body you should also follow your instincts and push it at times. Not to the point of injury, but certainly out of your comfort zone. Mornings work for me and that's good because my two upcoming races both start fairly early.

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional

My wife got me Haruki Murakami's book "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" and I started reading it yesterday. I am a fan of Murakami's novels and short stories and I've read many of his books. Unlike his fiction, WITAWITAR is a memoir about his running life. It would be delusional (on my part) to compare this book to my daily posts but there is similarity in that he wrote the book in "real time", recording his daily experience without the usual filter of book writing. Murakami is very quotable but I was amused by a sentence he attributed to another runner: "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." What's meant by that is when you start every run it's a given that you will reach a point of discomfort or pain. But how you choose to proceed (or not) after that is your choice.

The decision to suffer played out in a low key way this morning when I went to the track to do a light run. I usually do a lighter workout on the elliptical on Mondays but I'm off from work this week so I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to run outside. The weather was perfect when I got to the track and after a good night's sleep I was expecting a strong start. However, starting off, I felt tight and a little tired and I questioned whether I should have taken this as a rest day. I did my usual self bargining ("Okay, just two miles and I'll see how I feel") and I really wasn't enjoying it. After about fifteen minutes I started feeling a little stronger and by then there was another runner who proceeded to follow me and then match me stride for stride until he pulled away slightly. I was happy to have him in front of me because I could follow his pace. He looked experienced and I thought I might learn something by watching the way he ran. I was able to stay with him but after a few laps he stopped. Maybe he was just warming up or maybe he wasn't feeling it today. Perhaps he chose not to suffer. I chose to keep going and ended up running 4.4 miles finishing pretty strong. That made me happy because I'm training for a 4 mile race and I've been wanting to extend my weekend and vacation runs to at least 4 miles and/or 40 minutes.

You are here

In this case you is me and I need to constantly remind myself that despite a strong dedication to running I still fit somewhere between the blue and green sections of this chart. How much harder do I need to run to move up a level? I find that most established runners run about four times a week, four to six miles per run. That's certainly a stretch for me. I run almost every day but my distances are between 1.5 and 4 miles depending upon how much time I have. The idea of a 4+ mile standard run on weekends is at least six months away, perhaps longer. But it's a 2009 goal.

If I want to be able to compete in 10K events I need to be able to run at least 6.2 miles without a break. I'm not trying to rush it, really. I love how it feels to run 2 or 3 miles at a moderately brisk pace. There are definitely endorphins at work there. Many established and accomplished runners (these terms are mine, not tied to any specific criteria) tell me that they begin to feel stronger around mile three and can maintain a faster pace after that threshold. I'm beginning to see some of that now. This morning I ran 20 minutes at 8:40/mile which for me was challenging but for many established runners it's only a decent practice pace. I followed that with 20 minutes on the elliptical. Despite my daily focus I recognize that I have a lot of climbing to do on my chart to catch up with the other runners I know. But running is a sport that rewards dedication, especially at the beginning when measurable gains are more easily attainable. I wonder if established runners have more problems with motivation as progress becomes more incremental. Perhaps cutting five seconds off a 7:30 pace is as rewarding as cutting :30 from a 9:00-something pace.