Its funny how the ideas that seem the easiest are the hardest to maintain and finish. As myself and another 120 or so other runners started this little endeavour,
see blog post, back in February (42 days or 6 weeks ago or so), I honestly thought how hard could it be to run a mile or two minimum every day. Well let me tell you, not so easy, there are many factors involved so lets list a few that I think should be considered next time I try something like this:
- Time: Even a measly 2 miles on a slow running day can take over 20 minutes (sometimes 30 or more if you are running a dog that is currently in heat, she has to stop to sniff everything and anything that was remotely touched by a male dog). Finding that precious time to get out for a run can be very challenging indeed, and how quickly does time fly by when you have very little to spare.
- Weather Conditions: The weather plays a big factor because who wants to go run a mile or two when it is winder than tornado alley during August in Kansas. Or who wants to go slogging through melting snow and ice puddles just to get your miles in.
- Motivation: Sometimes you just don't really want to go out, so you procrastinate until you cannot anymore, this leads into Number 1 above.
- Energy: Who would of thought that running a mile or two takes as much energy as it does, after a long day at work or out with the family, it sometimes takes a good swift kick in the ass from the better half to get my posterior out the door, or a dog that needs a run.
- Health: I have been lucky with this one so far (knock on wood, where is some real wood, my desk is press board, crap my kingdom for some good ole knotty pine right now), quite a number of the other participants have had to bow out (very gracefully I might add), because they needed to take time to heal their aches and pains. This is very important as you need to listen to your body, getting injured and not taking proper time to heal will lead to more injuries which could put you out longer or in some cases indefinitely. Not good and not recommended, number one rule, Always listen to your body!
- Life: Our household as well as most others I am sure, is very busy, life is full of twists and turns and surprises, sometimes making it very interesting to get those precious minutes to get out and 'Get Er Done'.
- Running Clothes: Yes this is a challenge sometimes as well, do you know how many sets of running clothes you need to run everyday? You either need to be a Swag Whore like a few people I know and get your digs for free, or learn to run in jeans for 2 miles (I really do not like that option, so I am hoping I get to become a swag whore in the next few years as it is much easier also on the pocket book, running gear is not cheap!).
Swag Ninja otherwise called a Swag Whore
(The art of securing free stuff under the pretense of the product review process)
Must learn this very convented skill
Oh yes, the development of the skill of writing a Haiku, as to spice up the challenge a little bit the added feature of coming up with an original Haiku with each run for a little fun, and I must say there are some pretty impressive ones that have been written over the last 42 or so days (not by me, I am still trying to find my writing style). Here are some samples that I really like and the authors who penned them:
Bill Osbourne
Day 13... 3 miles
Back before the bacon's done
Yes, that's why I run!!!
Robert (Shacky) Shackleford
One solid mile done
ow, my poor and aching feet
barefoot none the less
Rob Sanchez
I can't write haikus
I try unsuccessfully
I'm still running though!
Tracey E Longacre
Gotta run before
I chew someone's head right off
Watch out world, I'm pissed.
Stephen Uzzell
Trail Gloves, sockless
My metatarsalgia
be damned - I will run!
Shelly Robillard
Two mile family run
Lots of sun, hills and lizards
Much to smile about
Paul J Hassett
Another small run
Trying to recover now
Oops I pooped my pants
Chris Van Dyke
Chili for dinner
Bad idea before a run
Five miles of heart-burn.
Rebecca Schaefer
8.4 mile run
Got to guide a blind runner
Is it nap time yet?
Bill Osbourne
Who started this group?
The bane of my existence
I'm an addict now...
Brad Waterson
Warm spring-like day here
Time to set the piggies free
broke out huaraches
Buzz Johnson
*Warning Language*
Ten thousand feet sucks
Crossfit that high fucken blows
But I did my one
Kate Kift
Mud, dirt, grime and muck
Clinging to my shoes and socks
Sunlight shines through trees.
Mark Robillard
no motivation
finally got out the door
day 20 is done :)
Nicole
Ran under night stars
Finished day twenty- one
Thank those who started
Karrie Lynne Ardley
50k trail run
Had some beers along the way
Ice bath sucks for sure
and one of my efforts,
3 miles flying high
Realized I was on treadmill
No puddles tonight.
There are many, many more great haiku's written, to many for me to chose from, these were some that caught my eye. The whole point is making running fun. Try a few out and post them if you like, you will find that they are not as easy as you would think to put together, and try doing one every day for 120 days.
Anyway, have to head out to run Day 42 tonight as soon as the wife gets home, enjoy your weekend, I know I will.
On, On
I'm gonna have to up my Haiku game ... I didn't know they were going through a review board! :-D
ReplyDeleteI've found the daily time aspect the hardest, the physical, I'm surprised is going as well as it is. I think it is true that when people do drop it is as much to do with time as it does for injury.