An Epiphany of Choice

With much pomp and grandeur the monsoon bid us adieu. Since then, the temperature and humidity  have been rising steadily, along with the kilomteres.

I am working now on Negative Splits, increasing my speed as I believe stamina for mileage will come. After 2 full marathons below my belt, I want to test  speed along with endurance. Hence, I am running relatively shorter distances, at faster paces.

I run the first half at a regular long run pace, and step it up in the last 5-6 km. it takes a lot of determination to pick up my tired legs and to push the drained out brain. But, once I start its even harder to keep at it for the next few kilometers. It consumes my entire being to keep going.

But I stick at it,with only one single thought, that I should keep going, and this too, shall end.

Today, I ran 18k, with 4 km – from km 13- km 17 at a faster pace.  I got a stitch at this speed, I wanted to give up. I actually stopped for two seconds, but started running immediately after.

I ran with pain.

I ran because I wanted to.

I ran because I could.

I focused all my energy towards the one goal I had today. And, I did it.

4 km – from km 13- km 17 @ 5.33 min/km.

I felt I had died.

But, died and gone to heaven!  🙂

On reaching NCPA, I heard some of the runners  discussing humidity….But I had not even noticed!

Me- me whose favourite peeve is the weather- the sun, the temperature!

I just ran.

It was only me and the road.

Today, I found a quote on Kristen Armstrong’s blog:

“What you focus on, Expands.”

Wow- an epiphany.

I now understand what has been going on in my brain. All this time I was focusing on the difficulties- weather…distance…..et al, which only made the run harder. The mere thought of it and what it might mean becomes consuming and much bigger than the actual challenge.

It was the same for the hill run last week. I just put one foot in front of the other continuously,  and kept going.as a result- I ran all the hills- non stop- something which I have always aspired to do!

The walls are crumbling…….the mind is getting clearer……

When we focus on problems- doors close.

When we focus on possibilities- doors open.

Let us remember we can decide what we want to focus on.

The choice is ours…..ours alone.