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June 11, 2005
1:24:12/159
Ran 4 laps around Pontcharra, which is 19.6 km (12.2 mi). The time includes stops to drink, and one minute to give a guy directions to Montmélian. He was a smoker, and lit up while I was standing there next to his car door. I don't think it even occurred to him that I might not want to take a few lungfuls of secondhand cigarette smoke while out for my jog. He must've seen me as crazy to be out there running on my own, and asked me whether I run with other people.
How could anyone possibly want to go out there and run without even peer pressure to make him do it?
Not sure I have an answer for that. I've been putting off writing email to my colleagues for that reason. The thing is, Jerome suggested we get a coach who would be financed partly by comité d'entreprise money. We need to be a group of at least 5 people.
Jerome was thinking a coach could be someone to motivate you to get out there and run. I was thinking a coach could help you get more out of your training, and help you avoid making mistakes and getting injured. Hal Higdon wrote something up. "Who Needs a Coach?:"
...good coaches (and good coaching) can make good runners.
Coaches can provide inspiration and information, analysis and applause, support and sympathy.
If you don't know why you need to be a good runner, maybe you don't. Most runners probably ask themselves, like that guy asking for directions, why the heck we're doing it. The question usually seems to come when it hurts.
That's when you need the coach, I guess, for the second bunch of reasons. You don't want to turn yourself off to running, or get injured, or perform a lot worse than you could.
Running does have some positive side effects. You gradually get stronger, smoother, and that carries over into sports that are perhaps more fun. You feel less dumpy, and if you keep it up you eventually may even look better. Running can also burn stress away and leave you feeling straightened out. You can get that feeling from other endurance sports, too, but there are few workouts you can do as easily, year round, as running. So I guess I'd better go write that email.
Posted by Mark at June 11, 2005 10:26 AM