Trail
Running Paradox #3: Walking is Running
Missing from this page are some photos. For now it is just some dry
text about how walking counts as running...
The Principle: Be flexible in what counts
as
"running".
I've tried mileage, speed, and time (which I understand are somehow
interrelated) for weekly quotas. Mileage wins, in my book, but
these are quota miles, not actual miles. Walking a quota mile is the
same as running a quota mile except that it takes a couple minutes
longer. Walking a mile in snowshoes counts as about 1.25 quota miles
because it's hard work. Playing 45 minutes of underwater hockey does
not count as any quota miles; that's just a ludicrous way to get some
exercise. I should
probably subtract quota miles for eating cheeseburgers and things like
that, but it would miss the point.
The point is that there must be whistles and bells and caveats and
exceptions to the basic running plan in order to keep things enjoyable.
Running consistently is an elusive thing, always a breath away from
vanishing away. The moment it becomes not fun it goes away. The moment
it becomes injurious it goes away. The moment it becomes dangerous it
goes away. Hassle? Goes away. Tedious? Goes away.
Tedium
This problem of tediousness is another side topic. As far as I can tell
there is no way around the fact that sometimes running is tedious. My
arc of thoughts on a run of say two hours might go like this,
minute-by-minute:
1--6 ... starting up; go slow, get the joints working smoothly, muscles
un-cramped ...
7--8 ... feel good about having made time for this run and gotten in
motion ...
9--12 ... okay, moving now, think my way through this run ...
13--14 ... plan how much mileage this run is and how long it will take
...
15--17 ... look around and enjoy the scenery ...
18--20 ... plan what to do when done with this run ...
21--23 ... plan when the next run will be, where, distance ...
24--30 ... plan the running for next week so that I can hit the mileage
goal ...
31--35 ... enjoy the scenery ...
36--40 ... break down the rest of the run into stages that seem
manageable ...
41--48 ... be bored ...
49--63 ... think about work ...
64--72 ... think about family ...
73--80 ... think about projects ...
81--89 ... be bored ...
90--102 ... feel good past-midpoint euphoria ...
103--108 ... start to feel aches, slow down ...
109--117 ... be bored, drudgery trudgery ...
118--125 ... be ready to be done with the run impatient ...
126--130 ... enjoy the wind down to being finished ...
One way to avoid tedium
is to seek out different trails, places to run. Another is to focus
really hard on thinking about things while running. In the above
example I think in reality I would switch gears and topics much faster
than every few minutes. A good way to avoid tedium is to
change pace and that includes walking. Some people listen to
music. I've tried this with a little success but have not used
music much for the last three years or so. Music on headphones is a
little like a movie
soundtrack when it's working well, but something about it seems a
little forced to me. "Autre pays, autre merdes."
Trail Running
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