Distractions are necessary to focus

Running has been my focus for the past couple months - even when I'm not running, I'm thinking about running. So far I've been running without music or headphones (and have written about it too) because I liked to listen to the sounds around me and not drown it all with music. Today, I broke that rule and created a playlist as I embarked on my personal longest run (total of 4.4 miles - can you believe that?!). A friend mentioned to me that maybe I need a distraction and so I tried music as the distraction. While I still believe that for my initial attempts at running it was a good idea to not have music, for the longer runs, music absolutely helps. Even if for 0.5% of the time, it distracts you from the pain, from the urge to stop and collapse, from the fact that you are still a loooong way from your target, and that in turn gets you closer to your goal. 

I completely concur with the theory that when you are totally focused on something, having a distraction here and there helps you get out of your tunnel vision and then come back to the task at hand with renewed vigor. I remember my first mini at Tepper when I was trying to get all my coursework done and understand everything, no matter how much time it took. It was all fine and dandy, but a couple dinners and social outings here and there served as fine distractions that made me realize that the overall experience was not just academics. It is about listening to others' stories, getting inspired to do something more (and of course get all your homework done - but you get my point). 

Bottom Line: In some weird convoluted way, distractions help you stay focused so welcome them

Getting through the pain

I have been swimming on my non-running days and I must say that it is quite the workout. I cannot swim (well, I can swim a little more now than a couple months ago), and have been taking classes and making slow progress. Painful progress - much like my running training. Between running and swimming and dance practice for Tepper's annual International Festival, I have been working out at least four hours a DAY. By the end of the day, I am completely exhausted and my body is in constant pain. So constant, that I tend to forget about it sometimes.

A friend recommended reading the book Ultra Marathon Man by Dean Karnazes and this particular quote in the book "He who suffers remembers" (from a Fortune cookie!), struck me as very true. I am a classical Indian dancer and I've been dancing for years, but I've never been great at it - I'm good, but not the best - but I keep at it. I had to struggle with low stamina and preparing for shows was more painful for me than for others, because I had to work twice as hard to get my stamina up. I definitely did suffer, and I remember it all and the suffering made me never give up (weird, yes?). I had invested so much that I just could not give up. I wonder if it is true of all skills and of life in general. Take the Tepper experience for example - we are put through a grind in our first year, more so than other business schools, but we remember the pain and cherish it in some twisted way (after having finished that phase of course) and are proud of having gone through it, together. Makes us stronger together.

Another quote from the book about pushing yourself : "If it felt good, you didn't push hard enough. It should hurt like hell." Now, that is testing the boundaries.

Bottom Line: Embrace the pain now, you'll cherish it later and be better off for having gone through it.

Good company makes all the difference

Ever since I started running regularly, I have been a bit apprehensive about running with someone else. My pace is my pace - I cannot change it to match someone else's; I didn't want to. I didn't want to slow anyone else down or feel pressured to run faster or longer. I ran with a friend during my last run and it made the process so much easier that we were in sync. The first mile was my fastest although the slower miles got a little slower because we were chatting while catching our breath, the entire run felt much easier. I did realize that doing something with someone you like, makes things so much easier.

The logic applies to jobs as well - my recent conversation with a friend about how much she loved the job she is signing up for led to a discussion about how the people you work with/ surround yourself with can make or break a job. Good work can keep you occupied for a while, but good people can keep you hooked and inspire you to do better work for life - and that matters more (well, to me atleast).

Bottom Line: Good people make challenges easier, make you want to take on more.

When the cold doesn't bother you anymore

I was bracing myself for the cold as I stepped out for my run today. My phone said it was 32 degrees (Pittsburgh doesn't seem to understand that it is spring already!)- I was waiting for the temperature to hit 35 all day, but I realized that 32 is the best I could manage in my timeframe. I layered myself up, I warmed up more than usual before stepping out, and to my pleasant surprise, it wasn't that bad at all. Granted, the sun peeked through the clouds for a bit, but even with my layers and gloves and a soon-to-disappear cough, the cold was the least of my concerns. I was focused on finishing the 3+ miles without feeling miserable. I had hydrated myself plenty for the last day (to avoid the same mistake as yesterday - it really felt like the end of my running obsession when I was curled up in a ball waiting for my nausea to go away) - and even though my pace didn't improve by leaps and bounds, I was ready to do another mini lap when I reached home and THAT was a great feeling. 

I passed a few people and I thought back to the time when I used to look at all the runners and think that they were batshit crazy (I'm not gonna lie - I fell in that category even before this running experiment). I am joining the club - officially. It just drove home the point that I can never understand someone else's perspective until I truly completely put myself in their shoes. I've also noticed that over the course of two years, people have changed and my opinion of people has changed too - it is important to be open to change that first impression. Someone might just be having a bad day or a good day for that matter. 

Bottom Line: Be patient with the crazies - you might end up on their side some day. =)

Motivation is a funny thing

I definitely pushed myself harder today - after a 3.2 mile run, I was exhausted, semi-nauseous, and had a splitting headache (the human body is so weird!). Running is becoming more and more of a mental game now - every time I am out there, I'm setting different goals - "Run until the stop sign, make it to the edge of that street, catch up with the couple running ahead of me" - and sometimes, it is as simple as "Just run so you can get home faster and plop down". I still love running without headphones - specially now that spring is here (it snowed yesterday so not too sure about that), it is so nice to hear the birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees. The first two miles weren't bad at all - I think my body is now used to that. The last mile was just brutal. Guess the end goal makes it all worth it? The most brutal part, I must say, was when I ran by a restaurant and got a whiff of delicious fries. It took all my will power to not succumb and keep running (I probably shouldn't run with my credit card in the future - rationalizing myself out of this one was very difficult thanks to the fact that I had an avenue to pay for the fried goodness).

Motivation is a funny thing - different "tricks" work at different times. The key is to keep finding something - the minute you don't have a need/want to find a source of motivation, you have already lost out. There are always lulls - periods when not doing anything just sounds fantastic and probably IS fantastic - the longer the lulls, the more difficult it is to get out of them. When I travelled with my Tepper MBA folks to Morocco this past couple weeks, there was a couple in the group that went running every day. I regret not going with them, (yup - I was lazy.) but it was inspiring to see them not use vacation as an excuse to not run.

Bottom Line: Never stop finding your sources of motivation - the more the merrier.

It's game time!

Last mini of the MBA program, and less than five weeks until the half marathon, and I can still only consistently run maybe 2.5 miles. This will be a challenge indeed - my goal is to finish this half marathon and not be swept up by the trucks at the end. That is all. No intention of a Personal Record (heck - completing this thing will be one helluva personal record). It is time to buckle up and get on this. I'm glad that I committed to this and signed up - now there is no looking back.

Meanwhile, the past ten days were spent in Morocco and Madrid, eating and drinking away. I thought walking would build up my stamina but my 2.5 mile run yesterday proved otherwise (Can I use the fact that I was sick as an excuse?). At this point I do want to try a longer run sometime soon - but am scared of pushing myself too much. I hope the weather co-operates in the next few weeks. I did see a LOT of runners in Morocco - mostly male and maybe a female or two here and there (with their full hijab which was impressive). It was very refreshing - I wonder if I am noticing runners more now that I am running as well. I still hate everyone that passes by me and look like they are having a wonderful time while I am using every drop of my mental strength to not stop and go back to my apartment and plop down on the couch.

Bottom Line: Making a public commitment will help you not give up. (also helps when there is money involved)