Throw a Pity Party

It’s time to look inside to see what makes you who you are. How do you feel about fitness and your level of performance? This has nothing to do about winning a race, but a goal you set and get after.

When we set goals, sometimes we set them low, to guarantee we can achieve the mark. But, what happens when we miss that mark? That’s when you need to get serious, and there is nothing wrong about expressing your emotions.

Welcome to the Pity Party, where crying is allowed and your emotions have their way.

It doesn’t make a difference what level you may run at, 7-minute miles or 12-minute miles. It doesn’t always click. We all have different motivational levels, and we have those around us we use for inspiration.

I’m going to be general and use the term “fitness,” because not all of us run—some walk or enjoy cross training in the gym.

Was your last race a disappointment? How did you really feel? Did you talk about it?

I had a triple dose of disappointment over October and November. I ran the Marine Corps Marathon (10/31/10)  in a time of 5:36, which was my 79th marathon. The following month, I had the JFK 50-Miler (11/20/10) and the following week I had the Northern Central Trail Marathon (5:29).

I knew that my level of the training was not up to standards, but I had to give it my best. The Marine Corps was my slowest time ever, and it was a struggle, but the passion and the desire was stronger, as it was my 27th time running the event. There is no greater tool than having the will power to push and being smart enough to know your limits.

The next challenge was weeks away with the JFK 50-mile race, which I have run the last four years. The potential to finish was present. My good friend Jen joined me after we completed the segment along the Appalachian Trail over rocks. I thought I was on track to finish within the 12-hour limit, but near mile 32, I was alerted that I was in danger of missing a cut off time. At mile 34, I was 15 minutes off the time, and at mile 38, I was 22 minutes off the mark. A quick assessment indicated that I could not make up the time and had to step off the course. I could have made the overall time but not the check point.

Oh my, talk about major hurt, but you just suck it up and put that in the “Did Not Finish” column, which was a first.

How do you face yourself after that?

The “hurt train” was rolling again the following week with the Northern Central Trail Marathon, which I was running for the 16th time. This time around, I was mentally prepared for a slower event and decided early on to take it one step at a time. The scare was on the return after mile 20, when I heard there were only nine runners remaining on the course. OMG!

I knew I had to keep up the pace, and I managed to run/walk and finish with a 5:29, which, to date, is my second slowest marathon.

Do you think I have anything to cry about? Hey, bring the Pity Party to my doorstep.

What really had me shook up was walking before I reached the first mile, as we had a couple of hills to negotiate. Let me tell you that it’s hard to cry when you’re dehydrated and all you can do is make noise.

I’m sure that if you look back you will uncover your own less-than-desirable performances. Yes, they are low points, but they are temporary. You will be able to analyze to determine the cause.

Now is the time for New Year’s resolutions. Get out a calendar and look at the first three months. Map out what you will be doing, week by week, then month by month. Select what you like doing: running, walking, or cross training at the gym.

There are so many things  we have to take into account to balance a training schedule. You know better than anyone what it’s like being a military spouse and what lands at the doorstep. We do a good job taking care of others, but when do we set time aside to take care of ourselves? The time you exercise is your quality time, and it can be walking on a treadmill or running around a high school track.

January and February will be difficult depending on your part of the country given the weather changes. Make a promise to yourself that you will do something. Like most people, you’ve probably heard that physical activity, including exercise, is good for you. If you’re already active, keep it up. It may even be time to push yourself a little harder, try a new activity, or find new ways to add exercise to your daily life.

Don’t worry if you’ve never exercised, or if you stopped exercising for some reason. Let us help you get moving.

A speaker at a pre-race dinner stated, “Take one mile at a time because you can’t take two miles.” It is like taking one day at a time. The glue to all your plans is commitment and will power. I never said that any of this would be easy.

I will ask that you make that commitment to yourself and write it down, then share it with others because you will be held accountable. Others will ask how you are doing on your goals. What will you say?

I am writing this not only for you but for myself as well. I have targeted some events for February and March, and I know that it will take me the entire month of January to get my mind and body on the same page. I know it’s not going to be easy. I know where I have been, and I truly believe I can get back to that level. I need to believe in my own abilities, and I am not ready to give up before I try.

If I fail I can say that I tried and that is where we need to be.