Today was one of those very ordinary Tuesday morning runs. Same course we’ve done several times. No big goal in mind other than moving through it successfully with a relaxed and hopefully negative split pace.
For over a year now, here has been the routine schedule:
Monday – Cross Training at Camp Gladiator
Tuesday – Run 45-55 minutes
Wednesday Cross Training at Camp Gladiator, plus run 30-40 minutes
Thursday Cross Training at Camp Gladiator
Friday – Run 45-55 minutes or do track work
Saturday – REST
Sunday – Long, Slow Distance Run
We change it up if our schedules demand. For instance, I must travel on the weekend fairly regularly. We will move our Sunday run to Saturday, resting on Friday, or even move our Sunday run to Friday, essentially switching Friday and Sunday.
Predictable regularity allows for situational flexibility.
That’s kind of the point. Without a routine, you don’t have flexibility. You simply have no plan. In my discovery journey of the last 15 months or so, I have found that living without any kind of plan simply does not work for me in attaining any kind of goal. Don’t get me wrong – I love flexibility. But flexibility is meaningless without a plan.
I had a conversation with a work associate who looked at my planning journal and became overwhelmed with the thought of “spending so much time” doing all that planning. The fact is, though, that it really isn’t all that much time. It is just consistent daily practice, combined with prioritizing certain things over others.
In the pursuit of faith development, or in what we call our spiritual life or devotional life, we embrace “disciplines.” These are practices, or habits. In a way, this becomes ordinary. Regular. Predictable. Over the long haul, these small habits compound in their effectiveness. The trouble is that we often are too impatient to trust this process.
Well, this started rambling a bit. But it is where my head is. I’m delighting in the fact that, 14-15 months ago, I recommitted to my maintaining a healthier me – at least in the areas over which I have control. At the time, I thought this meant garnering enough will power to eat better and run multiple times per week. What I began to discover, however, was that my mind was what needed the work. And it still does. I’ve proud of what I have been able to accomplish in a year’s time – all through taking small steps – creating routines, delighting in the ordinary, working on my thoughts, etc.
I’ve much more to say on this. But I don’t want to obsess over this blog writing. One step at a time. One movement at a time.
greggorunner 