New Challenges - Test Your Limits
Can you remember a time when you accomplished something you had never done before? Have you ever said, “Wow! I really did it!”
Many of the athletes on our run walk team are going to be reaching a goal they’ve been working toward for about 10 weeks - some will be doing their first 10K (6.2 miles); some will be doing their first 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles). This is a big deal. Some of these folks had never gone more than a mile before, and now they are going to be running or walking 6.2 miles…or 13.1 miles!
For those of us who have run the long distances, we may have forgotten what it feels like to go a mile farther than we’ve ever gone…to complete a distance that we once thought impossible.
I remember training for my first marathon. Our first long run was 6 miles, and it was a struggle. I can remember thinking, “How in the heck am I going to EVER go 26.2 miles? I must be crazy!” However, over 18 weeks of training, I gradually built up, and the marathon was a life-changing experience.
One of the things that often happens is that as soon as you cross that finish line of whatever distance you run, you start thinking…”If I can go 6.2 miles, then I can probably do a 1/2 marathon” or “If I can run 13.1 miles, then I can probably do a marathon.” And, you’re hooked.
As humans, we thrive on challenge - it energizes us. It’s fun to set a new goal and set about achieving it.
I am at that point right now. I’ve done a bunch of marathons, and I love the marathon distance. I love going to cool places to run. But I’m ready for a new challenge - I’m ready to test my limits…which is why I’m embarking on a new adventure…My plan is to run a 100-mile race before October 22, 2009.
So, in the next 15 months, I’ll build up gradually and safely from the 50K (31 miles) to the 50-miler to the 100K (62 miles), then the 100-miler. It’s all very logical. I have a lot to learn and a lot of work to do, but that’s my plan, and just thinking about it is exhilarating!
I’m not suggesting that you run a 100-mile race. Just think about something you’ve always wanted to do but thought maybe it was out of your reach. And, give it some sincere consideration. Come up with a new challenge - and test YOUR limits!