Shake It Up — Running Lessons That Connect With Coaching
(Wow, will anyone read that long title?)
This morning I went for a run that, as I noted in my training journal, sucked (yes, that’s a technical term). I say that because since I’ve been back to running after my injury, I’ve been moving along nicely. By that I mean, I’ve felt better after each run and my pace has steadily improved. Today was different.
I’ve accomplished this with the help of two important factors: I’ve committed to doing the training runs recommended by my coach i.e. easy runs, followed by speed or threshold training and then recovery. Also, as much of a running shoe junkie as I am, I’ve also committed to wearing comfortable shoes and have been steadily alternating between three different pairs. While yes, it’s ultimately about doing the work, these two tools have made a difference.
But back to our story. As I said, today kind of sucked. I felt like I was working twice as hard and going slower. At the end of it all, my 5 mile run pace today was slower than my long run pace on Saturday. One thing that was different today: I mixed up my shoe rotation and tried a pair I haven’t used for awhile. Early on I realized they were far more cushioned than my usual three. So while they were very forgiving, I found it hard to keep to my usual pace. I finished my intended distance but at a pace I was disappointed with while feeling more tired than usual.
But I realized that with my disappointment came some valuable learning. The easy message was that when it comes to running shoes, I like those with a bit of firmness. But in the bigger picture, it’s helpful to shake things up once in a while because one of two things is pretty likely to happen. You may discover something new, great and of value towards achieving your goals (it could have been me with those shoes — but it wasn’t). Or, you’ll come to realize the value in what you were already doing that was working (like sticking to my training schedule and those three pairs of shoes in the rotation).
If you’re a runner, you may identify with what I’m talking about here. If you’re not, and you’re still reading this, THANK YOU! I’m not sure I’d stick with four paragraphs about a topic I’m not so into. So here’s where I hopefully give you something you can use…
Ironically, the above connects with the productivity for the work week I’m having. Over the past four months, I’ve been committed to a process that supports me creating a business that truly serves people and changes lives. I have clear goals that drive my daily activity around making calls, reaching people and setting appointments.
This week — or I should say up till this point in the week — I’ve been doing all the activity, the calls, connecting with people, getting referrals, but I haven’t quite got the results that I’ve wanted. I’m OK with that. Today was actually a reminder to me that in some parts of my life, like my running, a little bit of experimentation can be a good thing. A slower run isn’t going to change my life. And now I know the shoes to stick with. But in other parts of my life such as my work, going for the shiny object when things aren’t quite the way you might want, isn’t the best thing.
It’s very easy to get distracted from the keys to success when we’re trying to create something we’re committed to like a business, a clientele or even a habit. These days there’s always something easy to try when the real work of connecting with people can be difficult. More posts on social media. Pay someone to give you leads. On and on it goes.
When you saw the very long winded title (definitely not in the best practices for titles!) you might have thought I was going to say that by shaking things up, I got myself back on track. In fact, I’m doing the opposite. The truth is that this crappy run — another technical term — was a reminder of how important it can be to stick with the things that have started to bring us success.
So this week, even with my less than optimal results, I’m sticking with the game plan that’s brought me to where I am — which is exactly where I’m supposed to be. I have confidence that ultimately, things will even out and I’ll see both the short-term and longer term results I’m committed to.
How about you? What are some places where you might want to shake it up? And what are the core components of your success where you know to stay the course? Love to hear some comments…
