This what I told myself at the start of the year. I was careless in my 2011 runs. I was so eager to increase my mileage and my speed - which is not bad in itself - but I wasn't training properly like I used to in 2010.
When I was just starting, I liked doing different kinds of training routines, like interval training, hill sprints, some sort of pyramid interval, etc. I even have training solely for my breathing.Then later on I guess I got lazy on doing these rudiments, you know, and I just ran, ran, and ran without regard to form. Some races, I did not even warm-up anymore - so focused on getting that new PR but missing on the important foundations of running.
Anyway, this year, I'm starting slowly again but I'm learning to appreciate little improvements. I get ecstatic even on mere seconds of improvement on a lap, for example. :)
I can relate this nugget of wisdom that was shared to us by one of the leads in the company I'm working at:
In running, focusing on your target is important - like say a new PR. But that new PR will not be yours just by running from Start to Finish (although that's part of it, of course). I have started and finished a lot of races, but many of these were started and finished lousily.
Preparation is equally important. Proper execution of your training, the form, is just as crucial. Nutrition, hydration, rest - these are factors as well. There's more to running a race than just legs and loot bags. And that's why I love running.
Finishing a race is one of the most spine-tingling accomplishments one can have (especially with a new PR obviously). However, I daresay that the journey to get to that finish line is just as marvelous!
Enjoy every moment of it.
When I was just starting, I liked doing different kinds of training routines, like interval training, hill sprints, some sort of pyramid interval, etc. I even have training solely for my breathing.Then later on I guess I got lazy on doing these rudiments, you know, and I just ran, ran, and ran without regard to form. Some races, I did not even warm-up anymore - so focused on getting that new PR but missing on the important foundations of running.
Anyway, this year, I'm starting slowly again but I'm learning to appreciate little improvements. I get ecstatic even on mere seconds of improvement on a lap, for example. :)
I can relate this nugget of wisdom that was shared to us by one of the leads in the company I'm working at:
Focus on your job - not on your career.I guess I agree with this statement, basing on the context. I believe that long-term career development is important, mind you, but if you focused too much on where you want to be 10 years from now for example, you missed the important tasks that you need to do right here, right now - and these are the tasks that determine your Career (t0+10), if you know what on earth I meant with that.
In running, focusing on your target is important - like say a new PR. But that new PR will not be yours just by running from Start to Finish (although that's part of it, of course). I have started and finished a lot of races, but many of these were started and finished lousily.
Preparation is equally important. Proper execution of your training, the form, is just as crucial. Nutrition, hydration, rest - these are factors as well. There's more to running a race than just legs and loot bags. And that's why I love running.
Finishing a race is one of the most spine-tingling accomplishments one can have (especially with a new PR obviously). However, I daresay that the journey to get to that finish line is just as marvelous!
Enjoy every moment of it.
