There is one thing I battle when I run, and I have to get over it. I am battling a younger thinner version of myself when I run. I compare how I run these days to how I ran a few years ago, when I was at my thinnest. It isn't a fair comparison, but I've noticed other runners do this.
We runners want to compete against what we have done. We don't like to take age into consideration, but we have to. I am 50 years old(yes I know I look 25 - I said 25!). I am not in my early 40s trying this out and going for the gusto. Now I have to stretch more, take more time, and understand I am slower.
The slowness comes from lack of running and my weight. I am much heavier than I was. I understand I can lose weight and be faster. I also know that takes time. The temptation is to be down on myself for not being the 11:00/mile pace I was. I am more a 14:00/mile pace, and for now I have to be ok with that.
So while I am working on being ok with slowness, I found during my run the other day, I was focusing on form. I examined how I was moving through space. I was holding my arms too tight....gotta loosen the arms. I was running very choppy-like. So I eased up a bit, and felt more comfortable as I ran.
Yes, I was still running against my 40something self, but at least I was more aware that I was trying to figure out how the 50 year old runner was doing.
Charlie
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