The power of group.

My lessons learned this past week.

Last Wednesday, I ran the Torchlight 5K. Shelley wisely chose to rest her injury, so I was out there with 3,000 others. I ran a sub 11 pace, way faster than I anticipated. Besides good training under my belt, and a half marathon at a solid 13 pace, I think the power of group pulled me along. Picture this: Running during the first mile, I made sure I didn't get elbowed in the eye, and navigated around the walkers/groups of friends/and baby wheelers. I heard the military back and forth call, from behind. About mile 1, about a dozen guys, in formation, passed me. I decided to draft them. They were doing a comfortable pace for me. At about the 2.25 mark, I realize they were slowing down, or I was speeding up, so I passed them. Their back and forth call was a constant . In the last quarter of a mile, I thought I heard them coming up behind me, and I decided I didn't want them to pass me and cross the finish line before me, so I picked up my pace just enough to finish ahead of them. Whew. The mass of people around me magically pulled me along, and the desire to not get passed up one more time, pushed me across the finish line.

Fast forward to Saturday.
I ended up starting our ride about 15 minutes behind the group. Once I got on the course, I realized my heart wasn't in biking. So I just biked, about a leisurely 10-13 miles/hour pace. When I knew they were turning around, I turned around. Since I was being a slug, I decided I needed to get ahead of the group so I would get back to the parking lot at least sometime close to the same time. They caught up to me the in the last 7-8 miles. As we pedaled on back, up that hill, and back to the parking lot, it was pretty amazing that I was keeping up with those speedsters. I was back in a group, making an effort to keep up, and being able to do so.

I've trained plenty on my own. I can do it. But Group is powerful. Being together very much does help when training. I manage to pull out some reserve, and learn that I didn't deplete myself. I can do this.

setting goals. Thinking ahead to 2009

A motivator to move forward is planning for and committing to an event, whether a 5k ( 3.1 miles) or a longer run or multi-event ( duathlon, triathlon ).

This gives you a goal to gradually increase your effort, so that you can accomplish that event.
"Gradually increase" means to train by increasing distance moved, and varying speed. There are many plans on how to do this.

I set my event goals early in the year. Some I had to modify, or cancel, due to an injury. but then I focused my efforts forward, and moved in a way that worked around the injury. (increasing distance and speed too quickly may leads to injury--do so by small increments ).

It is July. I accomplished the 1/2 marathon, have the duathlon in September, but thinking ahead to my goals for the next year.

I've experienced the pain and major discomfort from inactivity to moving, realizing there is an event just round the corner. Its much better to continuously move, so one can be prepared for any upcoming events. So I'm planning and plotting my goals for 2009.