Completing another 10K

I ran a 10K about a week ago and I’m still a little disappointed with my time. It wasn’t a good race for me, my legs hurt from about the 2K mark all the way to the end.

But it was the same course that I ran last year (my first 10K event ever) and I added five minutes to my time. It’s the first time I’ve run something slower than a time I’ve set previously.

It’s not hard to see why, I didn’t do the same prep work – I haven’t found the time or had the energy to do long runs yet this year. Until recently the weather hasn’t been co-operating – either way to cold or raining.

One of the problems with falling in love with running outside, is it’s nearly impossible to convince yourself to get any distance done on the treadmill. What do you think is motivation?

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Under the watchful eye of a trainer

Of course it was back to my personal trainer again this morning, I’d finally stopped aching from the last time I saw her.

I never thought I would go to a personal trainer, because I figured I’m always motivated enough to run, go to the gym – at least fairly regularly.

What blows me away though is how much harder I work when I have to be accountable to someone watching me. There is no easy routes to exercise, no skimping on the amount of weight lifted or the number of times I move them. There is cardio between steps and constant moving. When I start to feel tired, I am afraid I will hurt myself, so I tend to easy up.

She’s showing me I am capable of a lot more than I give myself credit for.

It’s making me wonder a lot about sports psychology – it’s not so much how good you are at something, but how hard you fight with your head. I’ve always wanted to be one of those people who work themselves till they are almost ready to collapse. When I’m on my own, I always hold something for the way back – under the watchful eye of the trainer I work like there is no going back.

It’s great.

Of course I’ll be back to moving really slowly tomorrow, but it’s worth it.

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