It's ironic that often times when I set out on my mid-week runs, I wonder if I can finish (and I'm usually in a hurry to do so, work awaits me!). Without fail, I do... but it's not unusual for me to mentally celebrate the halfway point... and wonder how in the hell I ever run twelve or fourteen miles!
When it comes time for me to strike out on those double digit runs, my mentality is totally different. I'm usually a little excited about it the night before, and then a little apprehensive as I strike out the door. But from that point on, I know what I'm in for, and I relax into it. No checking my watch every ten minutes, no wondering how far I've gone (seven miles in any direction of my house, I know the mile markers by heart anyway), no worries about getting to work on time. It's going to take a while, there's going to be a little pain, especially at the end, just relax and do it. The mental preparedness of running long makes all the difference!
I use that exact example when I talk to Kenzie about college and med school. I am so proud of her; she's really amazing! But I worry sometimes because she is a lot like me... she tries to "optimize" every minute and every situation, which leads to a lot of stress. We live in such a time crunched society, though, you almost have to do that to be successful. But if she goes to college with the mentality that it has to be over as quickly as possible, and she needs to get every possible credit out of every possible opportunity, it's going to be a long, miserable haul! We've talked about this a lot in years past (balance is the key to just about everything!). The other day she said, with an excited tone in her voice, "When Ray graduates from high school, I'll just be starting my residency!" :) That's my girl! She's mentally prepared for her long run!
Not sure why I didn't publish this. Skip ahead eight years, Ray is getting ready to graduate high school, and Kenzie is in her second year of residency. She's a beast, finishing her race early!
