Happy New Year, athletes!
Today is only the 4th of January and the year ahead feels like a promising one. While we may already have made some commitments and planned our major races beforehand, I feel a mixture of excitement as well as trepidation because we never really know what will end up happening.
While it may seem like each day passes much the same as the last, especially when you’re bound to a routine and not jet-setting off to new places, time relentlessly grinds forward. Nobody wants to look back over the past year and realize nothing of note happened.
If there was anything last year taught me, it’s that there is value in change if it can break you out of a rut and allow you to grow, if it can take you to new places and interesting experiences. And that’s exactly what I want to do this year.
When you keep doing the same things, you can’t really expect different results. It’s why after six years moving up in the distances of the triathlons I join, I’ve decided to train for my first international marathon. It’s why after years of wearing exclusively one brand, I’ve now gone and spent my own money on at least three different apparel and shoe brands to see what’s out there on the market and what else I could be happy racing in. It’s why after four glorious years signing up for, training for, and competing in Cebu at the Ironman 70.3 Philippines, I’ve decided to take a look at other races around the region.
It’s not that the former experiences weren’t good. They were! But that doesn’t mean there aren’t so many other options that are just as good (or even better) that I haven’t set my hands to yet.
So here’s a little thought experiment for the new year. Is there something you have plateaued at or has gone stale in your running or sporting endeavors? What new thing can you do to break through?
And then I’m going to challenge you: go out and do it.
“If there was anything last year taught me, itβs that there is value in change if it can break you out of a rut and allow you to grow…”
Nice thought…really nice to do something new this year…i am planning to do a triathlon this year specially the exterra ‘coz i only have mountain bike..but opted to do the condura marathon instead dahil masyado malayo bicol kulang budget :-)…ok din naman dahil it’s my first time to do a full mary at skyway…taking advantage of the fitness i had for the milo finals last year…just do hope to get my sub 3 aim this time. I did’nt get it at the milo finals…maybe ‘coz of the lack of training? but i had a good one…maybe ‘coz of the poor pacing…i did’nt run with the lead pack?…i still have some what ifs in my mind….I coulld have had done it…just hope this time i will be able to nail it…with God’s help surely I can…nothing is impossible to those who believe…and train….Have a great racing year ahead…have a winning year…your thougths inspires….keep on writing…we need that in the running community….
just a thougth…”Dont dream about it…train for it…” Mo Farah
Is that sub-3 for the full marathon (42K), or the half-marathon (21K)?
It is sub-3 for the full marathon… short ako 3:09 ako last milo finals done in clarkfield Pampanga last dec 6. Sayang nga..i thought kuha ko na last year. last 2013 got it at 3:08 something. I got cramped pagdating ng 32k mark, but last year di ako nagcramps and i was able to run the last 10k at faster pace…My assessment is that i am running alone most of the time…tuhog system ginawa ko, di ako sumabay sa lead pack….kaya siguro di ko nakuha sub 3, hope this year makuha ko na..am aiming for sub 3 sa condura just hoping that the fitness I had for milo is maging useful for the Condura…any suggestion? am using the fast finish long run method…I don’t do LSD (my long run usually is done at an easy or steady pace and peak up for the last mile or km . My peak long run is only 32km done at steady pace slower than marathon pace….then taper…at least 3 weeks before the marathon. Thanks…just keep on running and training….God bless….