Intuition

I am a very intuitive person, I always have been. I often have gut feelings and sometimes I choose to listen to them and sometimes I choose to ignore them. Usually, ignoring them does not equal success. Every time I listen to my intuition, I am never disappointed. I have also noticed that I like to learn the hard way. Why is it so hard to just listen to yourself?

I decided a month ago that I was going to get a coaching program to train for the Western States 100 miler. I have never really had a training program for running, except for 3 months when I was in University training for the Marathon at the NAIA National Championships.

I have always played competitive sports my entire life. I always had a coach telling me what to do, when to practice etc. The day I started running, I knew I had stumbled upon something special. A sport where it was just me versus me. I chose when I ran, I chose how hard I wanted to run, and best of all, no one else was telling me what to do. I loved just getting up out of bed in the morning and just going, without knowing where or for how long I was going to be out there.

When I trained for the Marathon in University I did seek out help. Even then however, I still deviated from the program based on what I felt like doing. I also found that I was more hesitant to go do the 'hard' workouts. I usually ended up doing them but it wasn't without a little mental battle inside my head.

Now, to be honest, I don't do a lot of structured speed work. However, I actually do like it. It usually comes in the form of spontaneously playing cat and mouse while out on a run with my boyfriend or just feeling good and running hard for whatever length of time. I also like using races as speed training. What I don't like though, is having a set program, and knowing that I 'have' to do something. That is how I feel about it. I understand, a lot of people like and need structure or they don't do anything.

The number one thing that running has to be for me is FUN. The same thing happens every year. I have a good season and I feel like I need to take it to the next level. However, whenever I take action towards that, I no longer have fun with it. All of a sudden running goes from being this fun amazing thing, to being a chore. I dread the workout and I procrastinate going running at all. It's a funny thing.

To bring this all back full circle, I have decided to just follow my heart and my intuition and am not going to be coached. I need to bring the fun back into the run.

I am going for a night run with Peter tonight. We missed our usual Wednesday morning run due to a late night at an Olympic Party. It will be great Western States 100 training.

See you in the trails!