My Trail Running Paradox #2: Planning Time

Missing from this page are some photos. For now it is just some dry text about planning runs in order to stay consistent...

Part A: Running consistently requires making time to plan runs.
Part B: Any time-requiring task must be planned.
Part C: Planning is a time-requiring task.

This constitutes sufficient proof that it is in fact impossible to go running.

In all seriousness: It has taken me a long time to make "plan runs" part of my ingrained procedure. Every time I stop running I can trace the halt directly to a simple failure: I stop making time to plan runs. Usually this happens in November when the weather is cold and the holidays are coming. It also happens when I get injured or when there is some other crisis. I really envy the serious runners who start getting the shakes when they don't run for a couple days; they have to get back out there.  For me it is the opposite: Every day I don't run makes not running the next day easier. So in order to counteract that slide I absolutely have to constantly think about the week ahead, and the weeks ahead. The easiest time to do this (happily) is of course while running. But surprisingly sometimes it doesn't occur to me; I might be thinking about other things.

Even when I have definite plans to run, sometimes the day arrives and I manage to find reasons to not go. This (finally) sets off alarm bells in my head that say "you are trying to get out of running your miles this week". So I put additional effort into getting back on track, planning the next runs.  It is an internal psychological battle.

At this point you might ask "Why don't you find a sport that you actually enjoy?" This is because I've made it sound like I hate going running.  This is not quite true.  What is true is that sports where one is competing directly for points like basketball or golf or squash have an immediate payoff, a direct gratification.  You put the ball through the hoop and vooom! there is a little moment of happiness.  While running, you put one leg in front of the other and the only possible bit of gratification is that you are 1/8000th of the way closer to being done.

There is a big gratification in finishing a run, one that lasts for quite awhile, but in order to get there I have to put in at least 45 minutes on the trail. Perhaps in winter. Perhaps in 10-degree weather. Perhaps by myself. Perhaps with heavy overcast. But here's a valuable point: I can still run, even on those days.  I don't need to rely on an opponent showing up or the wind not blowing 30 miles an hour or anything else.  As long as they keep the gravity turned on I can run. The only thing that I know of that cancels runs is really thick mud that builds up platforms on my shoes, and if I have to I can run through that stuff too.

All this still begs the question of whether or not I hate trail running. And no, actually I don't. There is too much about being out there that is great, even on crappy days. But even on beautiful days it still represents a lot of effort, and that is what puts up the psychological barrier to getting started, and that is what threatens to derail consistency, and that is why it is a little internal battle, and that is why I have adopted the technique of anticipating that battle and planning my runs and that is why I absolutely have to Make Time To Plan Runs.

Trail Running
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