Voices and Demons: February 21, 2017

Today was interval day...800 meters (half mile) at a sprint pace followed by a two minute jog, repeated (in this case) 7 times.  It was harder than I anticipated.  Whether because I didn't get enough sleep the last few nights, possibly fighting off illness, still tired from the last few workouts...or a combination of all, I don't know.  But I know it felt more difficult than I thought it should and I felt the post workout trauma for several hours into the day (which is very uncommon for a week day workout).

1. 6:50
2. 6:17
3. 6:06
4. 6:32
5. 6:22 (Here's where the wheels started to come off)
6. 7:07
7. 6:42

Total miles: 5.63 (3.5 miles at sprinting pace, 5 min warm up and 5 min cool down, 2 min jog between intervals).

Except for feeling particularly wiped out after the workout it wasn't too bad but when I went to check the splits, Runkeeper lead me to see other friend's recent workouts...some of which are significantly faster than I.

And I know, you should never compare yourself to someone else...but............................

It's a demon everyone faces, I think.  Comparing the best in others to the worst in ourselves.  I like running as a concept for the very reason that it encourages you to compete with yourself.  Sure we race against others, it helps bring out the best in each other but other runners will come and go.  They'll be there for some races and absent for others, but my one true nemesis (that fat turd in the mirror) will always be there.  That nagging voice in my ear saying, "Just take it easy.  Eat a cookie.  You can sleep in today," and so forth will always be challenge me to silence him by proving that I am stronger than the doubt, weakness and cravings.

So yeah, the workout was tough and the day was long.  But I did it.  And I'll do it again tomorrow (although thankfully tomorrow is an easy day).  Because the only way to catch a unicorn, is to chase it.