Moving from Maryland where our home was at 20 feet above sea level to Utah where our home is now at 4,300 feet impacted my running capabilities. I learned it the hard way by competing (using that word loosely) in an Xterra Triathlon that finished with a 10k run on the side of a ski mountain at 6,000 ft+. I nearly finished last which isn’t my norm. My poor wife kept combing the aid stations but I trudged in and got it done, just way undertrained. Those 6 miles felt terrible, but it got them done one breath at a time.
Sometimes life can be super tough for a number of reasons. Maybe we’re not adjusted to our new environs or maybe we’re super tired in the spot we’ve been for so many years. Either way, life can just get hard and the only way to get through is one more breath at a time. Just like eating an elephant one bite at a time. I’ve come to find tath at my age and at the elevation I live at, my running pace is staying the same if a run a decent volume, it’s getting better if I run a lot, or it’s decreasing rapidly if I’m not doing anything. And denigration happens FAST! There’s a lot to be said for momentum, or lack of it, in life as well.
When we get in a groove and are rolling, it’s important to keep going, even if there’s a hill to climb every now and again. Like dealing with a troublesome co-worker, figuring out how to perform properly for a new boss, or figuring out how to overcome revenue challenges when all your stock is stuck on a boat for months on end. Keeping a cool head and focusing on steady progress forward no matter how small those important small steps may seem just may ensure success. Just like I’ve found that while I train at altitude it’s important to FOCUS on the most basic element-breathing in a controlled and intentional manner; doing that seems to make everything else fall into place a little easier.
Run optimistically, my friends. -TRO
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