Now yesterday I was saying how there are so many things in our lives and training plans that we can’t control and to give in to that lack of control by Giving Up the Reins.   I do need to clarify though that just because you accept that lack of control and go with the flow so to speak, does not mean you are absolved from everything.

It would be like expecting our children to do well on a Biology Test without every opening their books.   It just won’t happen without some good hard work.  So like the Boy Scouts Motto, we need to prepare for the things we want and that are  somewhat in our control.   No just because we prepare doesn’t mean that everything will go according to our plan, but without a plan you won’t every have a chance of meeting your goals (or at least for me it works that way). So, I know your shocked, I’ve got a plan.

Planning, Preparing, and Working Hard to Reach our goals are all in our control.   Now, right now I am doing all my planning, preparing, and working my butt off to reach my goal of running a 5K in 25 minutes.   I really don’t know that I will be able to do it.   My fastest 5K is 27:17.   Now to someone who is not a runner reading this (Hi Mom), shaving two minutes off a 5K sounds easy enough; but I know the reality of it.  Shaving those two minutes off is going to be hard work and even with pushing myself I’m not sure that I still will be able to do it.    I won’t know though unless I try.

You know I’m trying too,  when I’m willing to go run inside on a treadmill to do my speed workout.   Today’s run is going to be hard.   I would much rather run circles at my local park, but I know with the cold and ice it is not a safe or smart thing to do.   So I will lace up, go to my gym and push it.

Push it real good.

I’m not going to lie.   I am not looking forward to today.   Not only is it running on the treadmill 6 miles, but it is repeats.

Description: 1-mile warmup
3 x 1 mile @ 8:00/mile with 800-meter recovery jog
1-mile cool down

Doesn’t that sound like fun?

NO, not at all!

So why do it if it’s not fun?

Because if I don’t, I won’t have a chance of meeting my goal.   You get out what you put in which means putting in the hard runs in this case as every run can’t be an “easy” run.   This is especially true when you are a woman in your mid 40’s getting closer to not being able to say mid.   This is especially true when you were also not born to run like a gazelle like some woman I know.

The truth is if you want something to happen,

you have to also make it happen.

No all the planning, preparing, and Hard Work won’t necessarily mean I will meet my goal, but it will give me a chance.

and

All I need is a chance!