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Ann Gaffigan's Steeplechics.com Blog:
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A Wise Man Once Said...
(posted on 07/28/06 at 12:56 am EDT, updated on 11/27/06 at 2:34 pm EST) | "As much joy as someone can bring you, the same can bring you just as much pain".
I consider myself to be pretty tough. Don't make me raise my eyebrow at you. But I don't stand a chance against the sight of too many competitors already catching their breath next to the clock at the finish line that represents an absolute choke/bonk/insert-your-word-of-choice-here on the day when it was most important that you NOT do exactly that. On a day which you had dreamed of as being nothing short of spectacular. I mean, is there a worse feeling?
Of course, I am blowing the situation out of proportion. But at the time (and sometimes for days or even weeks hence), it seems like the end of the world is near. And after such a performance, does anyone else spend the next week questioning everything they're doing with their life, and I don't just mean their training methods? Or is it just me?
I have never come to terms with that feeling. And it's been around quite a bit over the course of my running career. I swear running is like a bad relationship that you can't leave behind because you're an idiot in love. After too many workouts where you barely get around the track much less hit your goal times, too many sacrifices made but unrewarded, too many races ending with your heart in your throat, and not enough of the feeling-good days, the PR's, the best-workout-I've-ever-had's, you finally realize, "I can't do this anymore. It's not making me happy. I'm just digging a deeper and deeper hole and I don't feel like myself these days. It's time to get out and be on my own, find a new path to follow. Without you!" And that's when it pulls out all the stops and all of a sudden you find "the Zone" and PR in the Big Meet when it matters and you're so happy you swear you'll never lose faith again. You'll proclaim all your new goals and you'll resolve to achieve them no matter how long it takes and what trials you have to endure. Easier said than done, eh, Ace?
But when has it ever been satisfying to accomplish something that was easy? Is that even considered an accomplishment? Sounds like an oxy-moron to me. Wasn't it me who told a group of middle school kids on TOE 2005 that what's really "sweet" in life is when you work hard and persevere in the face of adversity to reach a goal, not when someone hands you an iPod on your birthday because that's exactly what you asked for. OK, so maybe I should practice what I've preached. And I will do just that, in time. But I might have to pout for a few days (or maybe this time weeks?) first. And then go talk to Jay about base training this fall and what we can learn from this past year. Because there are World Championships to qualify for next year. And I have fuel for the fire that's been building up since July 2004. | | Send a Comment |
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