This morning, I woke up at 4am to perform a major software upgrade for the wireless software company that I am a partner in. Fueled by nothing more than a few cups of coffee and water, I finished the upgrade at 5:30am and then stuck around for awhile to ensure nothing was amiss.
After that, I tied on my shoes and descended into the basement.
The workout is simple, based on the Body-for-LIFE principles of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Instead of the 20 minutes, however, I extend by 4 minutes early in the week, then another 4 minutes later in the week, so the main workout is 24 and 28 minutes respectively. I then increase 0.1 mph the next week and repeat (on the weekend I do a long run in the neighborhood for a third cardio session). I also put the treadmill at a 3.0 incline, although that is more to save it from the friction of my 200-pound plus foot falls than to add any extra challenge.
I was coming into minute 20. I had covered 2.25 miles and was running at 6.6 mph. It was time to increase the clip to 7.6. I was feeling tired (after all, I had been up two hours with no food prior) and little excuses started popping up in my mind. “Take it easy,” and “You didn’t get a full night’s rest last night,” and “You’re starving, so just wind it down now.”
Those are the little dream-killers that keep us from achieving greatness. I believe our measure is in part how well we listen to, or laugh at, those little voices that want to keep us mediocre.
I reflected upon WHY I was doing the workouts the way I had them scheduled. It is simple: in September 2006, I set a mission to run an ultramarathon, a race of 50 miles or more. It seemed impossible, which is why it was the perfect goal, because it is the Big Hairy Goals that test our limits and teach us who we really are. I started with a local 5K to benefit a girl suffering from a rare disease. I ran it in 28 minutes flat. In September 2007, I ran the race again and finished in 26:10. This year, I have a goal to run it better than 24 minutes and continue shaving time.
There is a local man in the neighborhood that I don’t know personally, but who runs a lot and won the race last year. I like to think of him as my “competitor” because I know if I keep up with him, I’ll be well on my way to my record as he is quite fast.
So, at 20 minutes, I shifted to 7.6 mph and imagined the last leg of the race. I’m running around the loop, and slowly gaining on him. This is how I push hard and reach my goal.
The image is strong and as 21 minutes approach, he notices me and picks up his pace. So I kick up to 8.6 miles per hour. Now we’re running neck to neck, and pushing forward but conserving that last little bit we know we need to break out for the finish line.
Before I know it, the end is in sight. At 22 minutes, I kick into 9.6 miles per hour and go all out. We are pushing to the finish line and finally all of my energy is directed to just moving my body, breathing, and staying upright on the treadmill.
I hit my goal.
I modify the cool down a bit: Body-for-LIFE suggests going to a minute at a “level 5″ but I kick it down to a level 6 and jog a bit to cool down. I find this is easier on my body and helps me increase my fitness level faster as well. My rule is simple: drop 1 mph every minute while you are still jogging. Once you are walking, drop 1 mph ever 30 seconds. When you hit 2.0 mph, walk another 30 seconds and you’re done. For me, that meant 5.6, then 4.6, then 3.6, then 2.6, then 2.0.
Isn’t it amazing how visualization can help us achieve our goals? Remember the future and wait for it to come.
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