Two-Thirds Red Zone


Did you have a good run? I get that question a lot, whether it is after a race or just a Sunday morning longrun.  I can tell what my answer will be before the run is even over based on how I did at the 2/3 mark.

It doesn't matter how long the run is - doing a 5K race, how was I doing at mile 2?  A marathon, how was I doing at miles 18-20?  Those are points in any run where I am far enough from the beginning that the euphoria of a beautiful day and a great run have worn off and I'm essentially tired. Then it is also far enough from the finish that it's easy to mentally wander, get overwhelmed with how far I have to go, and just slip into a gentle effort.  Mentally, it's the muddy middle.

A great run isn't made at the beginning, though at the start I can certainly make mistakes that hinder a good run from happening. Nor is a great run made at the finish.  Who blows off 2.75 miles and sprints the last 200 yards and somehow feels like a champ?

A great run is made at the 2/3 mark.  I can have a mediocre and groggy start, feel tight, but have enough time to turn it around and finish well.  On those days, the time may not indicate it.  But when I can pick myself up, it feels like a good run because I turned around a bad run and made it into something better.  A great run can also be sustained at the 2/3 mark too.  I can run a great 9 miles in my half-marathon, but at miles 9 to11 I'm weakest and most ready to compromise my goals.  That's when I've got to decide if it is going to be a run I feel proud of. If so, I've got to push through the 2/3 mark.

To push through, I've come up with a few tricks:  Cut the remaining miles into smaller chunks.  Don't think about what I've already done (good or bad). Count footsteps. I try to increase my steps per minute over these miles.  Concentrate on my form and breathing. Practice positive internal dialogue - no dwelling on the negative or what I can't control - because sometimes I get so tired all I can do is repeat "The longer I go, the stronger I get."

Pushing through the 2/3 mark becomes habit, then it becomes the reservoir from which I can draw on race day when a warm cup of coffee, a burger, or memories of my bed beacon me.  It also becomes the deep well to draw from when life get's hard, then I can remember - that with the grace of God - I've got it in me to push through. 

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