Sunday 17 December, 2006ANTICIPATION!
ANTICIPATION!
#38 - Anticipation: Prompt for today
ANTICIPATION?
ANTICIPATION....
ANTICIPATION!!!!!
ANTICIPATION..........
ANTICIPATION ;-)
ANTICIPATION ............
Anticipation is an emotion involving pleasure (and sometimes anxiety) in considering some expected or longed-for good event, or irritation at having to wait.
I run 3 days a week. Whether it's a training run, fun run, or a long run the litany of inner conversations runs the gamit from; "you must be nuts to do this" to "Yea, I'm cooking now" to... Shit, I'm dying.
For the first 100 - 150 yards...(91.4 - 137.2 meters)... I feel good, psychologically upbeat that I overcame my inertia and put on my running togs and went out and started. Now, I've done this a few times, but the mind chat is always the same. After the initial pleasure of getting going my worry-wart self starts saying things like: "you're getting short of breath, you're not going to be able to go the distance, might as well stop and walk, walking is just as good for you, and on and on with discouaging thoughts. Then somewhere between mile 1 and mile 1.5 the endorphin generator kicks into high gear and I answer back to mr. negativity. There, see, why can't you ever be patient? Now isn't this a good feeling? We can fly! Stick with me pal, we're going the distance today. When the run is under 10 miles, the finish is jubilant...tired but jubilant. I overcame myself and feel satisfied. Even the tiredness is a positive sign of accomplishment.
I run because I anticipate the rewards: high degree of physical condtioning, weight loss, mentally high, a tremendous feeling of selfworth, and because I can.
When the run is over 10 miles...the ice bath feel excruciatingly good. ;-)
I run 3 days a week. Whether it's a training run, fun run, or a long run the litany of inner conversations runs the gamit from; "you must be nuts to do this" to "Yea, I'm cooking now" to... Shit, I'm dying.
For the first 100 - 150 yards...(91.4 - 137.2 meters)... I feel good, psychologically upbeat that I overcame my inertia and put on my running togs and went out and started. Now, I've done this a few times, but the mind chat is always the same. After the initial pleasure of getting going my worry-wart self starts saying things like: "you're getting short of breath, you're not going to be able to go the distance, might as well stop and walk, walking is just as good for you, and on and on with discouaging thoughts. Then somewhere between mile 1 and mile 1.5 the endorphin generator kicks into high gear and I answer back to mr. negativity. There, see, why can't you ever be patient? Now isn't this a good feeling? We can fly! Stick with me pal, we're going the distance today. When the run is under 10 miles, the finish is jubilant...tired but jubilant. I overcame myself and feel satisfied. Even the tiredness is a positive sign of accomplishment.
I run because I anticipate the rewards: high degree of physical condtioning, weight loss, mentally high, a tremendous feeling of selfworth, and because I can.
When the run is over 10 miles...the ice bath feel excruciatingly good. ;-)
posted by rel at 9:57 AM
6 Comments:
This is an excellent post. I love that first realization that the runner's high has kicked in. Speaking of which, I better fet my shoes on and go right now.
Know exactly the self-talk you're talking about. And no matter how many times I run, it's always the same in the early going: can't do this day, not going to make it, might as well walk.
LOVE your take on anticipation. Thanks.
Ah. So THAT is why people run! ;)
Nice one! Well described. I liked reading about what the inner voice is saying because you can't tell from a jogger's face ... it only seems to be registering the pain most of the time!
Wonderful post, Rel. "The Little Engine that Could" was one of my favourite childhood books. I used to run along the East River in NYC and I remember that runner's high. But knee surgery has replaced running with walking.
It's amazing what we can accomplish if only we set our minds to it. Sometimes we give in much too easily but if we can tell ourselves we CAN do something, what an accomplishment it is:-)
Love it! Great pics, great words.
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