Too Much Time On My Hands?

Time - there is only a finite amount of it each day, week and month. How we choose to use it is generally determined before the day begins. Between sleep, work and commuting, whatever little bit of time remains must be used wisely. Committing nearly 5 months to train for the Goofy Challenge has required me to prioritize how I use my time, and to make sacrifices. Sleep time has been reduced each day, due to early morning runs. As a religious reader of the newspaper each day for many years, I have found that there isn't enough time for a thorough read lately. TV? Thank goodness for TIVO (one of life's greatest inventions!). What hasn't changed - time spent reading Nancy Drew books each night to my daughter.

Having been a runner for the past 8 years, I have always taken a watch with me. Usually it has been to track progress and improvement. Other times it has been to measure splits for each mile, or to stick to a personal schedule. As a competitor, I have always striven to improve. It has paid off in past 1/2 marathons, improving from my first 1/2 marathon time of 2:03, to a personal best of 1:43. Yet, training these past few months has been a different experience. While I have time goals in the back of my mind for the 2 races comprising the Goofy Challenge, I am also realistic in knowing that this effort is quite different from my previous events. 39.3 miles over two days is not a race based on speed, but rather endurance, commitment and heart. Therefore, I am enjoying my training like never before. And I think it could be due to the fact that I haven't always taken my watch with me. I run for the satisfaction of knowing what I am doing is benefiting others. I run to put in miles at a steady pace, rather than to race against the clock to complete the workout. Time has mattered little. I know this to be true based on two separate situations this past week.

The first was Tuesday morning when I put in 6 miles, in complete darkness, while on a trip to Minnesota. 3 laps around a lake path near my hotel, when I was barely able to see the ground in front of me. "Mr. Golden Sun" (as my son calls it), wasn't about to guide me on this day. The clock may have said it was 5:45 am, but my body said it was just another training run, no matter the venue. Sleep was sacrificed to further the cause. The time of day didn't matter.

The second was yesterday, when I "competed" in a local half-marathon in Charlotte. For me, it was an opportunity to get in a 13 mile training run, while surrounded by other runners. That makes for easy motivation. I had no goal for a finishing time, and merely took with my watch to measure my splits to ensure I was doing a steady pace mile-by-mile. I know time didn't matter, because when I crossed the finish line, and actually forgot to stop my watch, or look up at the chip-time clock to see when I crossed. Only later did I realize that I did a negative split - running the last 1/2 of the race quicker than the first 1/2. Not bad. Finished in 1:54 for an 8:43/mile pace (not that I am keeping track - this is to for official documentation purposes!)

However, I have to admit, I did let my competitive side get the best of me. Nearing the finish line, the sun was at my back, and the crowd was cheering on the runners. On the ground ahead of me, I was able to see my shadow, and that of another runner closing in on me in the last 100 meters. WHAT??? WAS HE/SHE TRYING TO PASS ME AT THE END??? NO WAY!!! Without turning around to give my best "what are you trying to do" stare, I shifted into another gear and cruised across the finish line ahead of the other runner. Now that was a good time!!!