My entire life I’ve honestly HATED distance running or walking. As my good friends the Clarks could tell you, when I was 9 or 10 I would complain bitterly about walking a couple of miles through Salamanca, Spain. I’ve always played sports that require running, primarily soccer, which I’ve played for 20+ years now, but that to me was always sprinting, never long continuous distances. Distance running was a challenge to me, and I like to challenge my assumptions. So although I could play 2 90 minute soccer games back to back, I couldn’t run 2 miles non-stop, heck I could barely run 1 mile without getting winded.
So I decided I would challenge myself. I would learn to become a distance runner and endurance athlete. I don’t really have the build for endurance sports according to all my previous assumptions, I’m not tall, I’m not thin, heck I’m below average height, with short legs, and built like a running back (stocky, wide shoulders). This normally would dissuade people from trying to become endurance athletes, but for me, it struck me as a challenge.
I started off slowly, running a mile or mile and a half at a time in my running shoes (Asics), but never got that “feel” for it, as I’d always end up with sore ankles, or knees. Turns out when you’ve been playing soccer your whole life, you get used to running on your forefeet, not your heels. Running in traditional shoes encourage heel-striking. I started reading up about this issue, and stumbled across the barefoot running craze that’s been picking up steam the last few years. Many of the advocates of barefoot running push for a fore foot or mid foot strike to reduce strain on the knees and joints. So I tried this, shifting to what was already normal running for me from soccer. Instant epiphany: why wasn’t I doing this all along? I read up some more on bio-mechanics of running, including this Harvard study that came out a few years ago. The science seemed to indicate that I needed to get rid of these clunky sneakers and go with something lighter and more responsive. Thus I picked up my first pair of Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs) and never looked back.
After 3 months of regular running, I picked up a road bike, deciding I was going to set my goal for a sprint distance triathlon in 2011. A sprint tri is .5mile swim, 13.1mile bike, and 3.2mile run. Part of my rationale behind picking a tri is that I also hated swimming laps as a kid, and I believe that diversifying my exercises will better condition me and help me avoid repetitive stress injuries associated with focusing on a single sport.
5 months into my running, I can now say I can run a 5k without stopping to walk or catch my breath. I’m slowly working my way up to a 10k, which I may have been at by now had I had a more rigid training schedule. Hopefully in another 5 months I’ll be running a half-marathon 13.1 miles.
So why am I doing this? To challenge myself. Unlike team sports where you depend on others to compete against unknown variables, in endurance racing, the only person I have to worry about is myself. I’m not out there trying to win these races, I’m out there trying to beat my previous records. I’m out there to prove to myself that I can do something I didn’t think I could do.
What are you doing to challenge yourself?
Way to go! I am actually in the process of building my endurance back up myself! It is quite a feat, but I’m sure you can do it, and so can I. It just takes a lot of time, which is something I hate because I’m extremely impatient 😉
too bad those powerband bracelets don’t give you endurance 😉
Swimming sucks just as much as an adult…nothing to look at just a stupid line on the bottom of the stupid pool. But on the other stuff…nicely done sir 🙂
thanks man. appreciate it.
Brian I just Love reading your article…you express nicely the feelings (anyone who decide to accomplish any type of race) go through at the beginning. The First TASK to meet is your own CHALLENGE, no one else…and most important, your own FEARS as wells…Can I do it? Will I be able to finish it? Could I die? (At least some of the questions I make myself, and keep doing them). When you realized you start meeting them, does questions seems to be answer. An then it happens, after a BIG effort and commitment (missing lots of parties, wake up earlier, soaring legs, even not feeling does fingers toes)… you experience the amazing miracle that we “HUMANS” can do anything, if we commit to it; and you answer yourself, no one else…YES I’m running. This feeling, meeting your own challenges (physically) will follow you everywhere you go….so BRIAN….keep it up your workouts…GO BRIAN, GO!!!!
Brian I just Love reading your article…you express nicely the feelings (anyone who decide to accomplish any type of race) go through at the beginning. The First TASK to meet is your own CHALLENGE, no one else…and most important, your own FEARS as wells…Can I do it? Will I be able to finish it? Could I die? (At least some of the questions I make myself, and keep doing them). When you realized you start meeting them, does questions seems to be answer. An then it happens, after a BIG effort and commitment (missing lots of parties, wake up earlier, soaring legs, even not feeling does fingers toes)… you experience the amazing miracle that we “HUMANS” can do anything, if we commit to it; and you answer yourself, no one else…YES I’m running. This feeling, meeting your own challenges (physically) will follow you everywhere you go….so BRIAN….keep it up your workouts…GO BRIAN, GO!!!!
Thanks Adriana! When are you doing your next race? I was disappointed I didn’t see you at the last one.
People I think underestimate what the human body is capable of because we let ourselves atrophy and waste our potential.
Yes indeed, miracles of been HUMANS. I was in Mexico…and believe me; when you travel the commitment should be 200% more. So make sure I’ll be paying attention to any race you may post; I’m 5 weeks to go, I’m meeting daily w/does fear emotions, but keep reminding myself the experience I live when I run NY, Chicago, Miami and saw lots, lots of AMAZING handicap HUMANS, completing the full marathons with me. EMOTIONS at large!!!
Love really need courage, to affront (be up against) those scandals.
equipaciones de fútbol Se vende la camisa del futbol que lo mas vendido, ofrecemos mercado al por mayor y menor. Se produce la de imitaciones, pero la calidad camisetas de futbol 2011 como origional. Se vende las camisetas del futbol de Thalland en bajos precios baratasfutbolcamiseta.es/ mejor la tienda online replicas de camisetas de futbol.
I like your article so that I
read all of your articles all my days. Please keep on writing excellent posts.
To find out more, please go to
Spain Soccer Jersey
spanish national football shirt
Adidas World Cup Spain home red soccer jersey
I like
your article so that I read all of your articles all my days. Please keep on
writing excellent posts. To find out more, please go to
Spanish La Liga
Real Madrid Football Kits
2011/2012 New Real Madrid Away Black Soccer Jersey
I really like your article. Please keep on writing excellent
posts. To find out more please go to
http://baratasfutbolcamiseta.es/
http://baratasfutbolcamiseta.es/category.php?id=10
http://baratasfutbolcamiseta.es/goods.php?id=55
http://www.camisetas-de-futbol.es/
http://www.camisetas-de-futbol.es/category-247-b0-Primera+Divisi%C3%B3n+de+M%C3%A9xico.html
http://www.camisetas-de-futbol.es/goods-4041-Adidas+Nuevo+Schalke+Tercer+Blanco+camiseta+del+futbol+%237+RauL.html
http://www.camisetasfutbolchina.es/
http://www.camisetasfutbolchina.es/category-117-b0-Bayern+Munichen.html
http://www.camisetasfutbolchina.es/goods-4600-Adidas+11+12+Real+madrid+Titular+Blanco+camiseta+del+futbol.html
That’s a good article. Thank you for sharing it with us. Just keep it up!