Fartlek Time

Runners know the word fartlek, it's a Swedish word that means speed play. The operative word is actually play.  It's about having fun.  The past two days, I've incorporated the fartlek concept into my three mile runs.  And I've enjoyed it.  In the spirit of what I've been writing about for the past few days, I've realized that I both want to and need to have fun with my daily exercise.  I say daily because it's really important to do some physical activity every day.  I just need to do things that are fun for me.  That might be doing a bunch of pushups (I did 220 on Sunday), or it might be running a few miles.  It might also be walking a few miles, a habit I got into when training for the 100 miler.  Walking is great exercise.

I'd signed up for a half ironman in about 10 days.  I doubt that I'll do it.  For lots of reasons.  First, I signed up when I was in the heightened Ironman training state.  Second, I wanted to see how I would do in my new age group.  But, my body has been sending me other messages lately.  I want to have fun.  A half ironman might be fun, but it also might not.  I've often made it a point to listen to my body, and my body has really been talking to me lately. When I decide to spend the day laying down and watching television, with literally no exercise, I know that I'm beyond my limits.  That's happened to me a couple of times in the last week

The neat thing about this realization is what it means to me when it comes to life as well as training.  Why shouldn't I look forward to enjoying everything that I do.  There is no reason whatsoever to take on any project or endeavor that involves stress.  What's the point?  Now, the athletes might argue that we need stress in order to improve, but that type of stress is different.  There are good stressors and bad stressors. The idea is to avoid the bad ones and embrace the good ones.  And so, in two days I'll do a 5K (Turkey Trot).  Depending on how I feel that day, I'll run easy or I'll run hard, or I'll do both.  On Sunday, I've signed up for a 10K.  Similarly, I'll run easy or I'll run hard, depending on how I feel.  On Monday, I'll decide on the half ironman.  Most likely, I won't be doing it.  Right now, I'm enjoying taking each day as it comes, and having fun.  We'll call it the fartlek of life!