So I decided to give myself a challenge this winter: train for a January race. That way I’d have to run through the cold months—something I’ve never done. My end of the rainbow, so to speak? The Phoenix Rock & Roll Half Marathon in mid-January. I decided during the summer to take on a winter race. But for some reason, I didn’t really think about training until Thanksgiving. As I plotted out my training schedule before the big turkey feast, I realized I only had seven weeks until this 13.1-mile test of strength, stamina, and sanity. My training program calls for five runs a week. As the number of weeks dwindle ‘til race day, how many weeks have I got in all five runs? Zero. But I’m pleased to say two Saturday long runs are successfully logged. Ten miles on December 2nd and more than 12 miles December 9th. I highly recommend running in freezing wind chills to two types of people: those looking for a challenge and those who want to test the theory that they’re crazy. Lucky for the cold wimp in me, this past weekend’s temperatures were near 50. Not exactly tough cold weather running action. Alas, I got in my 12 miles plus an additional 1.11. So without planning, I’ve run the distance of the race. Something my training schedule does not call for prior to January 14.
With every beat on the pavement, I fondly remember a something I heard once. All successful leaders of our time are runners. Is that what keeps me going? Is that how I reconcile the red hands inside my gloves after 10 miles December 2nd? I don’t know. My brain was probably too frozen to analyze. I do know it’s a great feeling to get in from a run like that and feel a sense of accomplishment. And sometimes that sense of getting something you put into motion done is how you measure success. So I’ll keep running until it’s time to rock & roll in Phoenix.
