Day 6 - Preparations

February 12, 2009 by john.

Ran again today and find it getting a bit easier. Started out the same as last time, but changed the pattern in the middle of the run. I was pleased to see that my head didn’t explode when I changed patterns. Debbie can tell you that I’m VERY pattern conscious and don’t do well with randomness. That’s probably why I do well as a programmer.

Anyhow, back to the run this morning. After the first few segments, I changed to walking (4.0 mph) the first 90 seconds of each segment and then jogging/running (5.0 mph) the last 70 or so seconds. That worked OK for a few segments, then my knee started hurting. Rather than continuing to push, I talked to the hurting knee and told it that God’s Holy Spirit is in me and gives me dominion over it and that it had better start working right. After walking two segments, I started back up running and all was well. In fact, I even tried to run most of the last 4 segments. When I got near the end and there was a segment with a 4% incline, the knee started hurting again, but so did many other parts of my body, so I walked about a minute and a half of that one, but finished the rest of the course out running. Final time: 42:33, avg speed: 4.3 mph. Not bad - by reducing the intensity of the running I was able to increase the duration, shave off a half minute total time and raise average speed by .1.

One lesson learned today: Pacing is critical. Slowing down a bit allowed me to do better overall and improve results. For most guys, including me, who generally operate in conquer mode, that’s a tough lesson to swallow. I believe this lesson is one of the major keys to avoiding burnout not just in a race, but in all aspects of our life.

I did a bit of searching today on winning times in 5K runs. Wow! Not having any idea, I was thinking a 30 minute run would be good. Turns out the winners are usually in the 15 minutes neighborhood. Well, I know that ain’t happening here! After a bit of calculating, it looks like I’d have to do much better than 9 mph overall to place in the top levels. I know that ain’t happening either. Don’t get me wrong, my primary objective in this first run is to simply finish the raise as a biped (i.e. in some relatively upright position), as opposed to a quadruped (i.e. crawling in on my hands and knees). If I can keep up a running pace through much of the race, so much the better.

The race I’m training for is the St. Luke’s Run for the Rails, to be held in Denison, TX on Sat, March 28. I officially signed up for it yesterday. R minus 45 days and counting. In many ways, that sure doesn’t seem that far away.

I’ve also been checking out the various running websites to try to prepare for my inaugural race day. Things like what to eat before the run, what’s it actually like on the course, how to go through a water station….. even found one discussion where someone was wanting to know the proper etiquette for dealing with a runny nose on the course. Read that one just before the race and you won’t have to deal with eating breakfast. I’ll have a pocket in my shorts and will stick a tissue or two in before the race, thank you very much… and sure hope the runner in front of me does the same!

So I’m spending 6 weeks preparing for a race that will last about 30 minutes (hopefully not too much longer!). I’m doing extensive research on how to prepare for that 30 minutes, what it’s going to be like for the 30 minutes, and simultaneously anticipating and dreading the start of that 30 minutes. But, what about the marathon that all of us are already running, the race of life. We didn’t have any time to prepare for this one, we hit the starting line the day we were born. So we have to work out the details as we go along.

Fortunately, we have a Coach that will direct us if we just listen for His voice. And His play book with the rules and winning strategies is available to all. The apostle Paul talked about life being a race, keeping your eyes on the finish line and “… pressing toward the goal…”. I’ve tried running the big race under my own direction as well as under the direction of the Head Coach. I heartily recommend following the Coach. You’d be surprised at the sidetracks you can get lost in that are off the main race course if you are following your own direction. The Coach keeps you on the right track. I want to hit that finish line with my head held high and run right into the arms of the Coach!

I’m already wondering what it is going to be like after the 30 minute race. Will there be refreshments? Or maybe even some FOOD? (I’m guessing I’ll be famished by then.) What will the awards ceremony be like? I’m just glad that the Coach’s play book already tells us a little about the end of the big race. Food? Yup, the marriage supper of the Lamb. A feast like we could never imagine. Awards? We’ll be given crowns of gold. And even more, we’ll have the most wonderful honor of laying those crowns at the feet of the King of Kings. Wow!

So I’ll continue preparing for my 30 minute race, and will enjoy every moment of the preparations, the race itself, and the exhilaration of completing the race. I’ll applaud and congratulate the winners and immerse myself in the whole experience. And I’ll consider the whole process a small taste of the big race that I’m already running.

Thanks for stopping by. Talk to you again in a couple of days!

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