Finding a focus

I need a plan.

I find myself saying this a lot now, which is odd, because up until this point I've more or less winged it. This was not necessarily the best way to lead my life, and certainly left me prone to being blindsided from time to time, sometimes with disastrous results.

I did not mean to start this whole running thing, and these days there's a war of sorts inside myself as sloth and ambition seem to be campaigning for the time that has gone to running for the past year and a half. I must make sure they don't win.

These days, I pretty much just get there and run when I can. I don't have a particular race lined up for the fall, but I need to select one now and begin seriously training for it. My number one goal this year is to run at least one marathon, preferably under four hours.


Last night, I ran 11 miles in under 90 minutes, so I may be on track for that still. My fitness is pretty high, and I am getting much better about knowing how to regulate my body. I know if I feel exhausted, all I have to do is slow down a bit and my energy level goes back up. I keep trying to push my limits, and when I'm spent, I'm comforted in knowing my body can recover while still in motion.



But these little lessons need a plan, or I may find myself losing interest.

While writing this post, I've decided to run a race this Sunday in Louisa County. That's my plan, and I'm sticking to it. My goal is to hit as many little milestones as I can, do the best I can, and try to be prepared for anything.