Effort

I had planned a 10 mile race after a recent 5K. Like, the day after.

The plan was to run an “easy” 5K, that is, slow. To conserve energy, save my muscles for the longer 10 mile run the next day.

But I didn’t run easy, I ran hard. Faster than I’ve ever run before.

While I thought I felt fine, my body had other plans. An upset stomach, loss of sleep, yeah, just wasn’t going to happen.

I took a lot of risks on that 5K – choosing to not take it easy, running hard in mile one, then mile two. Choosing to keep chasing the #2 runner, when I could have easily just coasted in for a 3rd place finish.

But I pushed, and took a risk, and came in 2nd, and I don’t regret a thing.

I guess that’s what risk is, though. Not knowing what might happen, and being completely present. Sort of not worrying about tomorrow, because right now is all we got.

Cliche, sure, but in this case it worked out okay.

Second Place Feels Rad

Today I ran The 2nd Annual East Stroudsburg, PA Run For Resilience Ostomy 5k. It was a brisk morning, with temps down in the 30s to start the day, but it was perfect running weather.

It was a small field, just about 50 people. I had intended to “take it easy” on this run, as I have a 10 mile trail race tomorrow, but when I saw it was a smaller crowd, I figured I should put my year of training and running to some use!

I was in third place for most of the race, but in the final 50 yards or so I moved into second place. That’s the second time I’ve made a “late race move,” and it usually leaves me scared, waiting for that person to make their move and pass me! But thankfully that didn’t happen, and I finished in second place overall, with a time of 25:25, my fastest ever.

Today I ran my fastest mile, too: 7:49. When I was in high school, back in the mid 90s, I ran a seven minute mile. All these years later, to be just 49 seconds off is okay with me.

Looking back at my training, I’ve been mostly running at a slower pace, from 10-12 minute miles, for about an hour at a time. About once every two weeks I’ll do a speed run using the Nike Training App, with their treadmill runs. It’s wild to think that easy running, with the occasional half hour speed workouts, really make a difference. That, and losing 15lbs since June, of course.

The joy of this blogging thing is that anyone could read it. Sure, I could post some thoughts on Twitter, and some people could read it. But there are people who don’t use Twitter. Same with Facebook. Or don’t have an Instagram account.

If it’s on the web, it’s free and open. You don’t need an account to read this.

Social media lured us with the LIKES and “engagement,” but blogs, or writing on the internet in general, has much more room to grow. Longer legs.

What’s posted on Twitter at 8:03am on a Tuesday is gone by 9:12am, and the next week? Practically gone forever.

But a blog – I’ve only restarted my own domain name just a few years ago, but it’s all here to see, for anyone and everyone, and not locked away in some social media silo.

Capitalism at Any Cost

This just blew my brain wide open, from “Misogyny, male rage and the words men use to describe Greta Thunberg.”

At a deep level, the language of climate denialism is tied up with a form of masculine identity predicated on modern industrial capitalism – specifically, the Promethean idea of the conquest of nature by man, in a world especially made for men.

Naomi Schalit

Via Aaron Davis

Capitalism depends on obedience, blind trust. From churches, to politicians, to wall street, the message is TRUST US. Don’t question, don’t doubt, don’t stray.

And then Greta Thunberg comes along, or anyone that doesn’t conform, or fit the capitalist narrative, and men everywhere lose their collective shit. As if it’s a threat to very lives.

Here’s to Moving Forward

What’s the saying? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? Got a nice reminder today in my inbox that moving forward sometimes taking a fresh new step.

“Remember, if you want to see new results, you need to start changing factors in your fitness routine,” says Matty. “Maybe it’s not everyday, but consider ‘graduating’ from those 5lb to 10lb weights!”

Peloton Output Newsletter

Heavier weights are heavier. More strain. Same with so many things in life, right?

The only way to get out of the spot you’re in is to do something that feels unreasonable, that’s unreasonable in the short term, that a similar person in a similar situation would say is unreasonable.

Seth Godin

Staying at 5lbs, or running three miles, or not taking that chance with a new client, or speaking up – it’s all reasonable. Stay in your wheelhouse, right? But without some risk, without being “unreasonable” as Seth Godin puts it, we can get stuck.

Burn Out In Others

Philadelphia, PA

Ever think about an article you read, then had no idea how to find it again?

I found this great piece, “what great inconvenience,” from the Faculty email newsletter (which I can’t link to, because it doesn’t have a web link).

In the piece Anne Helen Petersen speaks about burn out, fair wages, the hustle economy, and lots of other fantastic bits. Go read it.

The biggest point for me was this: “think deeply and consistently about how your own actions, and standards, and practices create burnout in others,” which is credited to Jonathan Malesic.

On a recent road trip I stopped for gas and got a coffee at the attached Dunkin’ Donuts. Cream, no sugar. I tasted it before I walked away, and sure enough it had cream and sugar.

I’ve seen people go off over something like this. As if it’s a personal affront, an attack on their dignity to subjected to such treatment. I’ve seen a person throw an entire cup of coffee out in the trash on their way out the door over this.

Or… just kindly state the problem, and ask for a new cup. That’s what I did, and shockingly it wasn’t very hard.

Health Goals

via Twitter

Since “No Junk June,” health goals have been my focus.

The world is a better place when we’re whole, and feeling good. Sometimes we need to divert our energy from things we think we need to attain, like the above career or relationship goals, and turn them inward.

Because once we nail the health and lifestyle stuff, perhaps the career and relationship goals will come into focus.