Jan 14, 2020 – Passion Paradox

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Hey Guys!

 

Since I promised some thoughts on this platform, I thought I’d share a take-away from a book I just finished: The Passion Paradox by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness. They’re the guys who wrote Peak Performance which I know some in this group have read. This one is about how Passion can be both a blessing and a curse and how we can work towards keeping our passions healthy.

 

What I found interesting was when they were explaining how we evolved as a species to be drawn to the pursuit of goals. Our brains release dopamine when we are working towards a goal. We do not get a great dose of feel good chemicals when we achieve a goal though. Only in the pursuit. We evolved this way because probably those humans whose brains were wired the opposite way sat and were happy with their one achievement for the rest of their lives and then starved to death and never passed on their genes. Only those who were never satisfied and kept pursuing the next thing kept achieving things like getting food, building tools and shelters, etc… Since our brains are wired to release dopamine when we’re pursuing goals, we keep working towards things because it feels good. (An interesting aside: some of us have lower dopamine sensitivity than others – for example, people with ADD or ADHD. These people have to do MORE to get the same feeling of satisfaction. These types of people tend to be the ones who pursue things to extremes. They are just looking for the same good feelings as everyone else, but they need to do MORE to get it. )

 

But whether we pursue things to extremes or not, it’s helpful to know that we are only “programmed” to feel happy while in pursuit. That is not to say we shouldn’t value our goals – obviously all the amazing feats we’ve accomplished as a species are because of this brain setting. And reaching new levels of physical fitness and performance are amazing things! But we need to remember that the goals themselves won’t bring us happiness. This is a hard one to get your head around but it’s true. Lottery winners never become happier. And shaving a few minutes off your PB won’t actually make you a happier person either. (I struggle with fully believing this as well. Surely I’d be happier if I kept getting faster? Apparently not though. Even Olympic gold medalists look around afterwards and say … what’s next? And if they have nothing can easily fall in to purposelessness and depression).

 

So keep this in mind while pursuing your running goals this spring. If you’re not finding any joy or purpose in the pursuit, maybe you need to try a different approach (there are many – ask me!) But the point is, whether you reach your time/place goal or not, the feeling of achievement or disappointment will be fleeting. And whether you make your goal or not, you will likely start your training process all over again within a week or two, and THAT is what will bring you joy. Sorry – it’s just how we’re wired!

 

For tomorrow’s pursuit, back to Lakeshore.

2 x 1 mile w 2 min rest

3 min rest

2 x 800 w 90 sec rest

3 min rest

2 x 400 w 90 sec rest

 

This is a bit longer because it’s cold out so we can’t start out fast. Really ease into those miles – tempo or half marathon pace. Then we’ll work our way down.

 

See ya in the a.m.!

 

Seanna

 

Jan 7, 2020 – Pick from the menu!

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Hey Everyone!

 

Happy New Year! As part of my New Year considerations, I plan to write more. So some of you may become my unwitting readers as you try to get to your workout plan for the next day (sorry!) Here’s what I will do: I will send out a Newsletter format with some personal thoughts/musings or something I’ve found interesting about what I’m reading as it relates to running and life on our email list only. Our Facebook group will just receive the workouts. If you would like off the email list, please let me know! Absolutely no offense will be taken. We can even create a code – you can simply send me an email entitled “Happy New Year Seanna” and I will know that means to take you off the list 😉 If you are only on the Facebook group and would like onto the email list, also please let me know and I will add you.

 

That will start next week. For today, you all get my thoughts in both locations.

 

What I’ve been thinking about recently is two things: 1. How important small (not giant!) consistent efforts are and 2. How important it is to stay engaged and have fun with your training. These two things are very related.

 

When we think about some of the elements which go into making you a faster, stronger, less injury-prone runner, these are things we can include:

  • Easy, enjoyable social miles/recovery runs
  • Easy long runs
  • Harder long runs
  • Short Tempos
  • Long Tempos
  • Drills and short speed on the track
  • Strides as drills or after easy runs
  • Long hills
  • Short hills
  • Fartleks
  • Intervals (long or short)
  • Strength training
  • X-training
  • A mix of any of the above

(Sleeping, eating and not running are also as important if not more than the above list, but to be covered another time)

 

You can look at this list and feel overwhelmed, or you can look at this list and feel a sense of excitement like looking at a menu to choose from. Every single thing on this list will help and there is no way you can do them all in one, two or even three weeks. So my advice, if you’re playing the long game, is choose the ones that bring you the most joy. Today. Something else might bring you more joy another time, but there will be something else to choose from. They ALL help.

 

The awesome thing about our group is that there is usually someone doing something on here. We have swimmers, cyclists and x-country skiiers who hook up. We have drills and speedwork on the track as an option. We have intervals or hills as an option. We have different people training for different things who hook up for tempos and long runs. And my absolute fave: the social recovery runs. Some people are in a “lean in phase” where others are in a “one foot in front of the other” phase. We all experience both at various times, and will continue to go back and forth.

 

So that’s my thought for this New Year: Choose what’s right for you and have fun. Don’t compare yourself to someone else or even to yourself from a different phase. Pick something from the menu and go – it all counts!

 

For tomorrow, let’s do another Fartlek-type run before returning to measured speed/distance. You can get just as much fitness out of these but if this is your first speedwork back from the holidays, it’s a less performance judging way to get into it. Still meeting at Lakeshore/Leslie.

 

Let’s do: 2×5 mins w 1:30 easy (5K pace-ish), 3 mins easy, 6-7x 2 min w 1 min easy (a tad quicker). Lean in or don’t as you see fit. Don’t forget your headlights if you have them!

 

Ooh, almost forgot – Congrats to Cassidy who came 1st Woman overall in the Hair of the Dog 9K in a time of 40:07 and Erin who was 1st Master’s Woman in 41:41!

 

See ya in the am 😊

 

Seanna