Family, Fitness and Friends
Time and our perception of what is “slow” or “fast” is all relative to our location and orientation of our point of observation. Perception can be deceiving, we may see something or someone and make assumptions based on experience, knowledge and bias. However, life is a constant learning process and perceptions may change with an increase in knowledge and experience through real world interaction and observation.
Just the other day I was driving down the road at 45mph towards the local airport when I observed a commercial airplane that simply appeared to be floating in the air, absent of movement. This optical illusion was caused by the tree’s passing my field of vision at the same speed the aircraft was moving through the air. Thus giving the illusion that the aircraft was simply hovering over the trees.
With knowledge, I have an understanding that this is impossible and within milliseconds my mind makes the calculations that what I’m seeing is impossible and is only a visual illusion based on my location, orientation, velocity and knowledge in flight principles. I’m certain each of you have experienced something similar in your lives.
Our perceptions are not always factual, even if we think they are true.
Our perception of how much “time” we have left is an illusion and skewed by youth. When we are young, growing old seems impossibly far away. Yet time marches on, in a constant, unyielding beat. Seconds lead to minutes, minutes to hours, hours to days and so forth until decades have passed.
Our time on this earth is short, the time we think we have tomorrow is not guaranteed. The more time that passes in our lives, the less time we have left, therefore our time is a diminishing commodity. As the time we have left becomes more scarce, the more valuable it becomes.
So what’s all this have to do with my fitness and The Long Run?
My time is valuable, I must use it to improve my health, sustain wellness and promote the longevity of independent living. More importantly what I choose to do with my time is a reflection of what is important to me and my values.
I do my best to spend quality time with my wife. She’s my best friend and her well being and happiness is important to me. Quality Time is in her top 3 love languages and I’m committed to speaking that language for life.
Spending time with my children is important to me. This week I’ve been lifting weights in the garage with my son and it’s turning into a great place for him and I to bond. He’s getting stronger, our conversations are great and it’s fun to see him grow.
I also choose to spend my time with my friends at run club. We all have a shared interest and love of running and I get the feeling that many enjoy the social aspect of running as much as I do. Going into 2024 I’ll be taking and sharing more video in this blog.
I started these 100 days on November 27th with a 2-mile run around my neighborhood. I live in a small area and to get in 2-miles took running every road, twice! It was a good way to start the challenge.
With my son’s renewed interest in lifting weights and getting strong, I’ve been staying consistent at lifting weights and working on strength. In the first week alone I’ve spent 4 days lifting out of 7 while also logging 18-miles of running. These first few days of lifting has left me pretty damn sore! Despite the low weight and low reps. It’s clear that not lifting for 16+ weeks is not a good idea. Strength training must be included into any Marathon training.
It took Robert less than 48 hours after finishing the Richmond Marathon to shoot me a text, attempting to convince me to make another Sub 4hr Marathon attempt, this time self supported along our local greenway. I think the man may be more obsessed with achieving that goal than me.
After some thoughtful consideration, I had to bow out of this event. As much as I want this Sub 4hr Marathon, I just wasn’t sure I could make up 20 minutes in just a few weeks.
My friends Jon and Robert were determined to achieve this goal on Saturday morning. I told Robert I’d wrap up the last 3-miles with him after I did the group run with the club.
However, I decided to surprise my friends on Saturday morning and see them off.
Mother nature had it out for my friends!! After a week of cold air and low humidity, a warm front moved in and they started this run at 68F coupled with 100% humidity. Simply unbelievable! I confirmed that they were going for the 26.2 and it was still a GO! I took a picture, wished them luck and they were off into the dark.
I turned my direction towards downtown to link up with my friends and get in some miles.
Arriving downtown we had a great group for the Free Association Running. We had multiple runners going a wide variety of distances with varying paces. Someone I ended up being the lead for the first mile or so, then I peeled off in an attempt to run with as many people as possible.
Slowly but surely I’m getting the Go-Pro figured out and the editing tool. Enjoy this video of our Saturday FAR run with Clayton Area Runners.
Following the run with the club, I made my way back towards the Marathon route to finish out the last 3 miles with Robert and Jon! I made it in time to link up.
The Marathon route was 3 laps of an out-and-back course, equaling 26.2 miles. By the time Robert and his pacer Wes linked up with me, Jon had already dipped out. He put in two strong legs and then decided to call it. It was his first ever DNF! I felt bad for my friend as he’d been putting in a lot of work for a lot of time to achieve this.
Robert’s last 3 miles were tough. Our two perspectives were vastly different. He was deep into the Pain Cave and battling cramps, pain, exhaustion and dehydration. Wes logged the last 8.4 miles with him and between Wes and myself we pushed Robert hard for that sub 4hr finish! His last 5K had negative splits! He put forth great effort in a display of intentional fortitude rarely witnessed by anyone. At one point in the last mile we were logging at 7’40” mile for over 1/4 mile.
Unfortunately the heat and humidity wore him down and he missed the mark by just 90 seconds!! There’s no doubt in my mind that accomplishing a 9’00” min mile for 26.2 is in the near future for my friend.
Another drive to the Airport.
I’ve been traveling for work for over a decade now. I could make the drive blindfolded, even in traffic. This week I’m heading to Syracuse, NY. The forecast is for cold, snow and more cold. I’m expecting not to see the sun for a few days. Thankfully this trip is short in duration and not time intensive.
Damn, it’s dark by 4:15pm and the roads are slick. I’m not going to dare running outside, so I take off for the local Planet Fitness to get in a few miles on the dreaded treadmill.
I’m competitive by nature, it’s a natural instinct that’s been in me since T-ball and Little League Baseball. At 8yrs old I remember being so upset that Little League required mandatory play time, especially to the kids that sucked. I hated it. Baseball was fun, it was more fun when we won.
Well, fast forward to running and this competitiveness drives me to play a little game whenever I run on a treadmill in a gym. I don’t have a plan on how many miles I’ll run or how long I will run. I get on the treadmill and make a decision that I will outlast everyone within my immediate area. Usually 2-3 machines around me, in all directions. No matter if they just started or have been at it for a while. I’ll keep running until they all leave.
So there I am running and everyone is dropping around me like flies! I’m 3 miles in and there is just one woman remaining. She’s to my left and I think she has caught on to what I’m doing. I look over to see her numbers and I catch her smirking with a slight smile.
Head games!! This woman has somehow read my mind and knows my intentions! I don’t know how it’s possible, but she decides to seriously play with my emotions. At mile 3.25 she stops her machine! I think I’ve got it made!
She wipes down her machine and throws the paper towels away!
YES! I did it, everyone around me dropped.
Just as I’m about to call it, she gets on the treadmill RIGHT NEXT TO ME on the OTHER side of me! She faked me out!!
So I start increasing my speed and she picks up her pace. This is going to be brutal.
Thankfully when my miles hit 4.0 I see her chuckle and she stops her treadmill and walks away. Damnit, she threw me for a loop!
I stopped my run at 4.01 miles and wipe down my machine. Victory is mine!
Of course while I was in Syracuse I’d find the local running club. I was pleased to find the Lake Effect Running Club. As I travel America, I try to run with as many clubs as possible. I enjoy meeting new people and see the running culture in different states and cities. In addition to making new friends and running in now locales, I get to take what’s great about a club and bring it back to my own club. What works well and what didn’t. LERC had a great turnout on their annual Christmas Lights run and I was surprised to see so many people. It was great!
Everyone I spoke to was friendly and welcoming. The Club Leader made his way over to me and introduced himself and described the club, tonight’s run and what to expect. He had a buff and a koozie to give me as it was my first run, but in the chaos of the night, we just didn’t get around to it.
Up until his moment, I was really unhappy to be in New York. It was cold, wet and snowing most of the mornings and by the time I was done on the jobsite it was already dark. So when I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself running through what looked like a Winter Wonderland Postcard.
The run itself was slow and point to point with many stops for pictures. Running through Downtown Syracuse had it’s own difficulties with traffic and crossing streets, but overall it was a great event. I even made it into a few of the group pictures!
Christmas really is my favorite time of year and to get in a run with a good group and a large club hit just right.
The next morning I was on my way back to North Carolina and my family. I was ready to be back in the warm embrace of the south! I grew up in the snow, the cold and wet not far from the Canadian border in the Pacific Northwest however I am a Southerner by Choice now.
The trip back home was an adventure that started at 9am and ended walking in my front door at 10:30pm. Overall it was a long struggle of a day with delays, but to be honest hanging out in the Delta Lounge wasn’t so bad.
So what did I get in for running on Thursday and Friday? Absolutely nothing! Tomorrow morning I have +8 miles on the schedule starting with a group trail run.
In my first 10 days I completed 7 runs and 4 weight training sessions. I could have done more! In the next 10 days, I will.
90-days out from the Disney Cruise!
Another great read my friend. That treadmill game could be a dangerous proposition. If you're not first you're last!