Run with Endurance

On Friday I rode 75 miles on the bike and Saturday was suppose to be a rest day, but I wanted to try to meet another personal goal.  I have set goals throughout my training of becoming an IRONMAN and last Saturday evening another goal was met.  My personal goals (that are achieved) give me a little boost and gives me confidence that my training is definitely working and paying off.  However when goals aren't met, I get up again and try even harder.

I ran in the Retro 5k Run here in Watkinsville on Saturday and made my mind up that I was going to try to run it under 22 minutes.  (The last 5k I ran I finished with a 24:50 time or something.)  I warmed up with about a half a mile jog with some stretching and then went to the starting line to begin the quick race.  I first noticed at the starting line about 15 high schoolers from an out-of-state track team and I knew they would be quick.  I wanted to keep up with them or at least always be able to see them in front of me.  We started the race and I gave it my all.  I never looked down at my watch I just stayed right behind the track team.  When we passed the first mile, one of the volunteers was yelling out times and he told me my time was 6:40...I was then feeling really good!  I knew I had a shot of achieving my goal if I could just keep up this pace.  I gave it my all (never caught the track team) but I crossed the finish line with an official time of 21:07 (6:49/mile pace) which put me in 2nd place in my age division and 23 out of 226 overall.

The entire race I kept my eyes on the track team in front of me and my focus was to beat my goal!  This reminded me what our Christian walk should be - Hebrews 12:1-2a says "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,"  Just like this race with my eyes fixed on that track team, we must run with endurance if we plan to finish well as we keep our eyes focused on Jesus.  Paul said in Philippians 3, "forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

This week I read some great quotes from Michael Jordan:
"If you put in the work, the results will come"

"I am better than I was yesterday, but not as good as I will be tomorrow."

"In sports you don't get what you wish for, you get what you work for."   

My training continues as Ironman Arizona gets closer.









This past week's training was:
Sunday - Pool (50 laps); Run (60 min)
Monday - Bike Trainer (75 min); Pool (2250 yards)
Tuesday - Bike Trainer (80 min); Run (1 hour 45 minutes)
Wednesday - Weight lifting, Swim (45 minutes) 
Thursday - Bike Trainer (80 min)
Friday - Outdoor Bike (5 Hours - 75 miles)
Saturday - Rest and 5K Race (21:07)