The Plan

Breaks from running are great. While I've been using this break (January) to plan out my next season of training and a new marathon goal, I'm finding the same old temptations keep rearing up - to plan too many miles with too many of them being too fast. When I've tried doing more than I can handle, it's usually after reading an article on how some elite athlete, who works part-time, is half my age, and cranks out 100+ mile weeks. After reading said article, I try too amp up the miles in March and April, but by June I'm comparing myself too the other end of the spectrum, a novice friend who is just starting. Then I just fall into the routine of four 4-milers a week, until my next big race is a month away at which point I get it into gear again. Neither end is good. Consistency is needed.

To develop consistency, for the last year or so, I've been kicking these four principles around in my head and am taking them out for a test drive as I build a Plan for this next season:

(1) The Plan has to be painfully aware of my mental, emotional, and physical limitations and strengths.

(2) The Plan must raise internal expectations for myself throughout the entire season.

(3) The Plan is mindful of my stage in life and it's responsibilities.

(4) The Plan (most importantly) has got to have the long-term hope of growth and activity into my 80s in mind.

If I don't approach it this way, I know the alternative is mental burnout or injury. I'd love to run faster next season, but even more I'd like to still be running injury free 10, 20, or even 50 years from now. I'm aware that no where stated above are time and distance goals even mentioned. This is simply because time and distance goals serve the Plan, not the other way around, because the Plan ultimately serves me. If a time or distance can't be accomplished after being filtered through these four principles, maybe it is a goal for a different day, or even a goal that will never be accomplished. Otherwise I get in the trap of serving my goals or workouts, rather than them being something that build into me. Someone else has put it this way "Eat to live, don't live to eat."

The dot being connected to the spiritual life is not far off. Often I hear others, as well as my own internal dialogue say, "I know I can do better. God can't be happy with me - after all - look at how good they are. I'm not like that, I never could be." In my own attempts to remold my limitations and weaknesses, I come up with a plan that I heard about someone else doing. It requires great feats of strength and self-discipline to accomplish. I usually last for about two months at which point I just go back into my spiritual Snuggy.

Consistency is so overlooked in the spiritual life. This is truly one arena where the turtle beats the hare every time. Steady movement towards God wins the day, rather than fits of speed, along with quick detours and well-intentioned distractions. A Plan to pursue God has to have consistency as a cornerstone, and the four principles mentioned above in mind. Consistency, that leads to a fruitful spiritual life and active running life into my 70s and 80s is the Primary Goal, and the Plan.