Holiday Motivation

This week I started my new job at the donor center. Second day on the job and I'm chit chatting with my new Soldiers, one of whom has set the goal to run the El Paso Marathon. It will be his first. As a green runner he has found a training plan and sticks to it religiously, hoping not to hit that slightly metaphorical, but very real, wall. I am excited that he is excited and envious of his naive approach. I am excited to watch this play out. I know he will do well if he sticks to it.
I was chatting with them and it becomes apparent that they are looking to me for advise from a seasoned runner and that makes me nervous. I don't have good running habits. I don't eat or drink what I should, I don't train for races. I don't hydrate (I usually drink beer on trail!) and I don't carry anything with me or stretch. I am the worst runner for a newbie to look up to. But I tell them what I think will benefit them, you know what I know I SHOULD be doing! They are inspired, so inspired that the three of then leave work and go to register for the Holiday 8k.

2 Days Later....

The Holiday 8k, not my proudest race, but my first real run since Marine Corp at the end of October. I was only 3 minutes behind my PR of 42:37. It felt awful, nothing hurt, but I could feel the lack of training. Time to amp it up! How can I keep up my Soldier's motivation if I am last in the pack?! Only 9 weeks left until the next marathon!

 

"Failures do what is tension relieving while winners do what is goal achieving"