I have been loving my runs this week – the spring weather has been perfect and the mornings are getting lighter. Even the birds are chirping happily in Central Park.
Does anyone else love the sound of birds chirping in the morning? It totally puts me in a spring/summer mindset!
Tuesday I ran an easy 7.5 miles and this morning (Wednesday) was a tough 7.25 mile tempo run, much improved from last week’s tempo. When I went to upload my Garmin stats, it froze and erased everything! Luckily I remembered most of the splits:
- Mile 1: 8:55
- Mile 2: 7:55
- Mile 3: 7:45
- Mile 4: 7:36
- Mile 5: 7:49
- Mile 6: 8:40
- Mile 7: 8:35
- Mile 0.25: 8:35
An increase in mileage has also increased my appetite, and since I’m still very much into Mexican flavors I made a big batch of black bean, corn and avocado salad for dinners this week.
I added mango to the recipe and used a whole wheat tortilla to create a mini wrap with some of the salad.
This morning’s run was all about speed and getting it done fast, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about patience. I’ve always thought I wasn’t a very patient person. I get annoyed with long lines, slow service, people that are late. But something Corey said recently has kind of made me wonder if I’m wrong. She said she admired my patience during recovery from the Achilles injury, and how I didn’t rush (that much) to get back to running too soon.
At first I was like, “Hmmm, she’s wrong. I am THE MOST IMPATIENT PERSON IN THE WORLD.”
But then I looked back at my training log and changed my mind. I think I learned through a couple tough injuries that patience is important, and even if it is completely forced (i.e., don’t you dare run today/this week, Kelly!), it’s way better than prolonging injuries.
I started looking at the bigger picture – I want to run well and pain-free for years and years! – rather than the immediate future – I want to run TOMORROW and I don’t care how much it hurts!
Even though running injuries suck no matter what, I think we let them suck more if we only look at the present (OMG I can’t run this week, this is awful!). Looking at the bigger picture really helped me see beyond the injury and focus on the things I could do to get back to running, rather than the things I couldn’t and the fact that I wasn’t running.
And like so many other things, this little lesson in patience has carried over to my non-running life as well. Putting up with “injuries” in life (job stress, illness, broken heart, tough semester) is inevitable, and they can get us down. Especially if we just focus on the present level of discontent we’re feeling. But a little patience can change your mindset and get you on the right path to “recovery” – getting a better job or working towards a different career, feeling better after an illness, healing a broken heart and finishing the semester all in one piece.
Looking at the bigger picture – what’s going to happen beyond the “injury” – and what we want to continue doing, seeing and/or feeling is what’s important, after all. And you know what they say: “Good things come to those who wait.” Right?
So even though I still may be that girl yelling at people to move in on the subway during rush hour, I think running has helped make me a more patient person in the grand scheme of things.
Question: Do you consider yourself a patient person? What has helped you become more/less patient? TELL ME NOW! (hehe).
Patience…I haz none. I have been known to scream in traffic and every time I eat in a restaurant I nearly die of starvation. I also have a weird ongoing heel thing because I refuse to take enough time enough to let it heal (lol) properly… Having said that, you’d think I’d be a faster runner wouldn’t you? But you’d be wrong.
haha, you definitely seeem to haz none. But I can totally relate to all of that! And it’s another reason why I’m glad I don’t drive 🙂
They say patience is a virtue…well, it’s certainly not one that I possess. I’m so fortunate to have never had a serious injury but I imagine if I did, I’d be the most impatient person on this planet.
However, I do believe that attitude is everything. So while I’m not patient, I’m good at making myself look a the bright side. When life hands ya lemons 😉
oh, I love that! Looking at the bright side is just as important, I think 🙂
YES to the birds. to me not only is it spring/summer feeling but it also means it’s not raining out hahah
i am SO NOT PATIENT. at all. we should start a club. i will say that reminding myself that x,y or z isn’t life or death. usually doesn’t help though
I definitely don’t think I have the patience for clubs. bwahahahaha.
Ah I was seeing so much of myself when you were describing your experiences with patience!! I am totally the person that gets impatient if I need to wait 5 minutes for the train, if I can’t eat my lunch at the second I want to, if I need to wait for a cake to cool before frosting it. But at the same time, I know when I really need to hold myself back (like during this injury).
Even though throughout your injury you didn’t say “oh I’m being so patient with my Achilles today” it was obvious that you were, because you took ALL the time you needed until running was completely pain free, and you were content (enough) to do your cross training everyday. So I think when it comes down to the big things, you are definitely smart and patient…and I am trying to be too 🙂
yes, totally! If I can’t eat the second I want to, watch out! You’re doing a great job being smart and patient, and it’ll pay off. Promise 🙂
That salad looks delicious! Yay for observing cinco de mayo this week!
I am impatient, too! I’ve learned that I have to wait/slow down because not everyone operates at my speed. I’m a work in progress!
Funny that I didn’t even think of it being Cinco de Mayo this week!
I am not patient at all! I try to be but it usually never works. You are doing great coming back from an injury. I learned the hard way about being patient and learning to train smart and not always going fast. It has definitely helped me to continue running and hopefully run in to the future!
I’m definitely not patient in my day to day life. But I think, like you, I’ve developed some patience when it comes to running/fitness. Because nothing happens overnight, ya know? It takes a while to gain fitness and I think I’ve finally learned to accept that!
That salad looks awesome! I love the mango in there.
I never used to consider myself a patient person either, and though I still have my moments, I’ve learned to take a deep breath and a step back to see the bigger picture.
Of course, that big picture can be pretty elusive when trying to fight through Times Square to get to the subway!
I think it depends on the situation but I think I have a good amount of patience. When I met my bf I realized how much patience I have bc he has zero!
I am patient about some things but now about others…it all depends on my mood.
Being a nanny has taught me more patience than I ever imagined possible for me to have… haha!
I really needed to read this! SO many times recently I’ve thought ‘screw it, I don’t care what happens- I just want to RUN’!! You are amazing and your patience and grace is so inspiring! I think I’d better start modelling myself on you 🙂
P.S. AMAZING run!!!! Speeeedy!!
Patience is something I work on every day. I hate waiting for things (and I’m the worst injured person ever), but I try to think of other things to fill my time while I’m waiting, which helps!
Thats a pretty fantastic run! I am an impatent person, coming from a line of inpatient people (my parents will freak if their bags are not out of the plane and on carousel in 20 min). I dont want to be like that so i watch myself
I try to be patient, and remind myself that I will be running on my own time -when I see runners go by on my rest days etc. I’ve been sick for nearly 2 weeks and I finally am on the path to recovery- jogged a little monday, ellipticized, then finally got in a 5 mile run today with no expectations. It’s hard to be patient! I can be, but it takes effort and meditation!! 🙂
I woke up this morning when it was already light out (a rare occurrence!) and I could feel the sun and hear birds chirping… I love that sound!