Two weeks ago I ran in the Bonita Stampede 8k, a cross country race that is part of a local San Diego cross country series. It was meant to be a rust buster and it sure felt like it! I didn't know it at the time but I had chosen a relatively hilly run to make my fall debut. I was wary of the downhills to preserve from jarring my back and fortunately the little stiffness I had after the race cleared up.
I wasn't pleased with my result nor with how I competed, but Natasha was able to give me a good dose of perspective. Last year at this time I wasn't able to run at all and so I am grateful for where I am today to be able to enjoy the sport I love so much.
That being said, I still have many goals to accomplish this fall and continuing to build on my fitness and regain some confidence in racing remains a constant. I've had to remind myself that since injuring my back I should look at myself as a totally new runner.
It is easy to want to compare your current training with something from your past and constantly take stock in how you are doing based on that. In my case though it is important that I refocus my training efforts on the small victories I gain. As an example, just a few weeks ago I recorded a long run of just over an hour and forty five minutes. While it wasn't the longest run I had ever completed it was a pretty significant training run in its own right. I experience little breakthroughs in how my back feels every few weeks and that run in particular had marked a training run where the nerve in my hamstring didn't burn when I finished and my lower back didn't cry out for ice or ibuprofen.
Runs like that leave me feeling elated and fill me with a renewed sense of optimism. I still have good days and bad days but I'm relatively healthy and looking forward to more racing.
This week I'll be making a short drive up to Los Angeles to compete in the Santa Monica 5k before finishing off with a few more cross country races in San Diego. I'm really looking forward to running the Turkey Trot in Dana Point and Club Cross Country Nationals in December.
I'll leave you with this quote I found, and I'll paraphrase: Shoot for the moon because even if you miss, you will land amongst the stars.
Great words to live by, athlete or not.
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