I started running this year. Since my late teens, I have written myself off as a non-runner who isn’t built for it. After years of walking on the treadmill, I decided I needed to try building up some stamina to go from walking to jogging. After a few days, I realized what I was missing; something to chase.
Most runners will tell you running with or behind someone else is more manageable. That other person can provide a pace for you to maintain. Likewise, you can pace for them as well. Running alone on a treadmill does not offer that.
Toward the end of 2022, I used Zwift with my treadmill. I had used Zwift with my road bike, so I was familiar with the app and knew it had running features. I was surprised to find out that my Assault Runner was directly supported by Zwift, so at that moment, I decided to give it a try. Virtually running with others provided that desire to keep pace; I now had others to try and keep up with.
The first week was hard, but it quickly became easier as my cardiac output became more used to the increased effort. Within a few weeks, I was running a mile, something I hadn’t been able to do in ages.
That led to new muscle soreness I hadn’t experienced in a long time. I had to return to walking for a few days as my body recovered from going too hard the day before. The soreness was short-lived, so I continued to push myself further, running a bit more every day, unlocking new personal bests multiple times per week.
I am known to overcommit before allowing rational thinking to set in. I immediately set a goal of running 1,500 miles in 2023 and signed up for a couple of half marathons. By the time April hit, I was already nearing 400 miles.
My wife and I did a Spartan 5k in May. I ended up damaging myself after lifting her over the high wall. I bruised four ribs, and three of them were out of place. That led to a month-long recovery that kept me from running the Whitefish Half Marathon.
Since turning 30, I have maintained a list of Personal Challenges. Unfortunately, my 30s were mentally challenging, so I didn’t achieve as much as I would have liked from that list. On this list are multiple running goals, many of which I had been telling myself I might never achieve.
Today I was able to check off a major running milestone. On June 11th, I ran the Harron Half Marathon. The Harron Half is a challenging trail run with over 2,500 feet of elevation change. Coming off a month of no running, this was a challenge I was unprepared for. My goal had been to spend the month leading up to the event running trails near my house. The Lone Pine State Park trail system is less than a mile from my front door.
The Harron Park Trails are very rocky and uneven, which is unsuitable for someone whose training consists of treadmill and neighborhood runs. I believe I finished dead last, but I did finish. A friend quickly reminded me that I finished ahead of everyone who didn’t show up.
Recounting all that was endured through the half marathon, my cardiac output was not lacking; it was my feet and ankles. That was very promising because I can work to strengthen my body and come back next year with a new goal of finishing much faster.
This has reminded me that setting goals is only part of the process. When I created a massive list of goals when I turned 30, I didn’t have the mindset to complete them. The goals I did complete were relatively easy and would have happened naturally as I continued to do what I was already doing.
Goals need to have context. Otherwise, it’s just an item on a list. In the coming weeks, I will revise my list of personal challenges to include a reason. It’s essential to connect the why to the goal. Why is this important, and why does it need to be done? Why did I want to run a Half Marathon? Because I have been telling myself for decades that I am not a runner, and I want that to change.
If you take anything away from this, know that reaching the goal is just the beginning. Take time to write the story of the “why” behind the goal.
What’s next for my running goals? I have a full marathon that I am going to run this year while on vacation with my wife in Hawaii. I have caught the bug and will likely run more events as my desire to challenge myself grows.
