I am back in Boston and although it has only been a few hours, I of course, have learned something. This is going to be a rambling of thought because I know I need to capture this positivity through a moment where I don't really want to be. So here's what I've got.
After taking the course tour we all gathered for a little chat with Jen Rhines and Katie McGregor. They basically discussed issues that we as runners face and talked about the program for developing athletes (which is how I got here in the first place). It started to actually get depressing when I realized that these women were too training while working. Hm... that makes me scratch my head. Although that was a little blow to the ego (since I obviously have been training while running and I'm minutes behind these women, there were a bunch more positive things that I can apply to life, if not for the future running career (whatever that is) that I have left in my future.
The positive things came from Jen Rhine's coach/husband who spoke about his philosophy. I pretty much dig it. There were a few things that stood out to me. First, he said that we are each a corporation. I am the "Stephanie Corporation" and I have to do what is best for me. He said that too many athletes use emotion to make decisions on their training instead of looking at the big picture, like any corporation would. It is so easy, when you are training with someone to tag on two extra miles, or shave off a few because they are doing so (that's so emo of us as runners! lol). Obviously, they are running the "X Corporation" to which you don't belong to. It isn't going to work.
The next thing that popped out to me during his response to testing (VO2Max, iron, threshold) is that we basically look to that stuff when we are already feeling crappy. When do we get our blood tested to see our iron levels... I don't know...hm... when did I do that? Oh yeah, when I was dogging every run. Obviously not the ideal time (hehe). We can catch these things!
Which relates to my third thing (also relating to testing of various health/fitness related things). You can figure out from tests whether you are better at endurance or speed or whether you are a strength runner or not. All these things can be put down on paper. Every runner has a list of things they need to be great at in order to make it in this world. If you know you are good at one thing, you have to work on your weakness.
Ah ha! (Yes, an ah ha! moment. Did I ever tell you how that started? It came from a communications theory course. Theories always cause ah ha! moments. From time to time I have them elsewhere). This is what I need for LIFE! What if we all wrote down the things that we are good at (insert pat on back) and then wrote down our weaknesses. If we actually saw what our weaknesses are we probably would do a much better job of challenging ourselves to be better in that area. That, my friends, will develop a really good person, and everybody likes that!
I have already thought of a few. It seems that lots of things are being a challenge right now. I'm ready for some fun. My weakness (and this is an easy one. Hey, you have to start some where!) is that I don't have enough fun. Yeah, I do have bursts of genuine happiness but I want a whole bucket full! My second weakness is that tough things tend to knock me down. I am definitely going to work on that. Right now, my tough thing is being alone in this city. Where the heck is my roommate!! I want to meet her! lol So I am going to try to step out of my comfort zone tonight and tomorrow (especially tomorrow...that is going to be tough!) and make it fun.
I think everyone should be able to have fun just being with themselves, and since I'm here and I'm by myself I might as well give it a shot. :) A friend of mine sent me a song that reminded her of me... it's actually pretty emo (but hey, I'm what you call a "feeler". I feel things! hehe). There is one line to the song that is speaking directly to me right now:
"Seems like the more you growthe more time you spend alonebefore you know ityou'll end up perfectly on your own"-Lights
I am practicing that right now. I am happy that Lights pepped it up a bit by adding that last line because we really are going to end up alright, even if at the moment it seems like it won't. Keep challenging yourself! It ALWAYS seems easy when you think about it, and too tough when you have to do it. Pain is gain.
Feel the passion.Use the passion.
~Stephanie

View Original Post at stephaniemp911.blogspot.com

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