Just deal with it. I first started thinking about this idea about 800 meters into last weeks mile race at Springfield. The pace went out extremely slow (69 through 400 and 2:17 through 800) and I thought to myself "Let's try to giddy things up here a little bit." I pushed into the lead and tried to drop the pace. I didn't blaze the second half in 2:02 or 2:03, I only a managed a 2:12 to come home in 4:29. But I went for it, and nobody can take that away from me. The situation that was presented to me wasn't a great one but I did what I could with it.
I'm not advocating front running or anything of the sort. I'm saying deal with it, whatever it is, deal with it.
I'm racing the 5000m at the Boston Indoor Games Collegiate Invite tomorrow night around 8pm. I'm seeded 20th in a pretty competitive field. Immediately I noticed that I was going to be right near the cut off line of the seeded and unseeded heats. I started thinking of what it would be like to run in the back of the seeded heat and the front of the unseeded heat. Trying to imagine it, feel it, put myself in that position. Essentially I was stressing myself out. Whatever the outcome is tomorrow, whatever heat I'm in and whatever the first 1000m goes out in, I'm going to deal with it. After all, isn't that all we can ever do?
I just this morning emailed my XC coach Deon Barrett with an update on my season. He said some very insightful things, but one that sticks out specifically. I'll leave with this:
"Remember that diligence, patience, and consistency are the seeds from which that fruit can grow. You have only begun to harvest you 'garden' to which has the capability of being a 'grove.' Think big! -- there is more room to grow."
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Kevin, I think that the advice Bruce gave to me might serve you well too:
ReplyDelete"Look, you're in pretty good shape- you're probably going to run pretty good. Or maybe you won't. Maybe you'll tank. But I don't think you'll run bad. Anyway, we'll know after the race."
Or as Bruce said to me as I was seeking some advice: "No I think you're in terrible shape - you probably won't even finish. You'll probably drop out. But actually, I think you're in pretty good shape. Just get into a rhythm."
ReplyDelete"The first 4 laps will be relatively comfortable. Then you have to be prepared to experience a good amount of fatigue. Then you need to push for 2 laps and apply some pressure. Then you don't need to worry about the last 2 because you're just running as hard as you can. Then you're done."