A new runner or marathon trainer should find an accessible, reliable, comfortable place to run.
Finding a place to run as well as a race to run is as important in my mind as the whole activity of running. I run to explore and mediate (not in the yogi sense of the word; just deep thinking). Well, ok, I run for other reasons too, but one way I break the occasional monotony of running for 30 minutes to an hour each day it to change the scenery. It’s easy to put off running itself when it becomes routine. Like most exercise, a boring routine requires motivation just to get started. And even then, going through the motions without passion, interest, or zest does little to improve your mental and physical state.
Finding a place to run as well as a race to run is as important in my mind as the whole activity of running. I run to explore and mediate (not in the yogi sense of the word; just deep thinking). Well, ok, I run for other reasons too, but one way I break the occasional monotony of running for 30 minutes to an hour each day it to change the scenery. It’s easy to put off running itself when it becomes routine. Like most exercise, a boring routine requires motivation just to get started. And even then, going through the motions without passion, interest, or zest does little to improve your mental and physical state.
Mix things up a little bit. As I said, I like to explore places. I love seeing the world and the people in it. Fortunately, I was blessed to have started my running career in arguably the premier runner-friendly Mecca in the U.S. of A.: Washington, DC. The literally hundreds of miles of trails in the city and the burbs weave their way quite literally through the history of our nation. I used to live on Capitol Hill where I would run through the grounds of the Capitol, the Library of Congress, and the Supreme Court – all too beautiful to take your eyes off. I’m sure I’ve jogged past those sites hundreds of times. Each time my heart thumps and my jaw drags. I’ve passed (and have been passed by) our national leadership and other celebrities. Sigh. I’m getting goosebumps right now.
And then there’s the National Mall. This is the El Paradiso de Running. The gravel pathways are soft and foot-friendly. The multi-ethnic, multi-national, and exceptionally multi-goofy crowds take a runner’s mind off the traffic, fatigue, sores, aches, cramps, whatever. Running on the Mall is like people watching. Not to mention the Mall features the great red Smithsonian Castle, all our national museums, the Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, a few reflecting pools… so satisfying. Oh, Lord. I need a cigarette.
Anyway, my point is that location and destination can play a significant role in training and reaching your goal. It allows you to associate a “chore” and “work” with something pleasant. Indeed, it is another distraction that takes your mind of the “work.”
Some people accomplish this with headphones. As one who uses his running time to think, I avoid the headphones. Instead, I run in quiet neighborhoods or occasionally along the Potomac River and near the National Airport. The sounds of the river and the passing jets are likewise pleasant distractions.
So, in a word: EXPLORE!
And that’s just the training part. Apply that same philosophy when choosing a race. Pick a race that’s exciting to you and in a place you want to go. Consider it travel.
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