I’ve learned a lot about myself by doing 18 races in 2010. I mean how could I not? I’ve literally run the gamut in types of races:
- Two 5ks, both as a running buddy for Girls on the Run
- One 4 miler
- One road 8k and one trail 8k
- Two 10ks
- Six half marathons
- One 20 mile trail race
- One marathon
- Part of another marathon
- One sprint and one Olympic distance triathlon
It’s pretty easy to guess from that list what my favorite distance is, right? 😉
I had so much fun running the Thunder Road half marathon this past weekend that I wonder why I’m signed up to run a marathon in the spring. Maybe I should drop down to the half?
Don’t get me wrong. Now that my stomach issues are figured out, I have high hopes of shattering my marathon PR. And a bunch of my blog friends are running it too, so the camaraderie cannot be beat. But like a wise woman said, “you don’t have to run a marathon to be a runner”.
I enjoy the half distance so much. Shorter races don’t test my endurance, and longer races don’t test my speed. I don’t have to devote as much time to training; I was able to stay in half marathon shape all year. I could spend my extra time focusing on swimming, biking, and yoga. Because triathlons are almost as fun as half marathons. So why not just focus on halves?
In a previous job, I took a course once on finding our work strengths. I’ll never forget what the instructor said: “The things we are not good at only become weaknesses when we do them. Don’t waste time on trying to improve your weaknesses. Instead, amplify your strengths.”
I do not completely agree with this. I fell in love with swimming and yoga this year well knowing that I’ll always get lapped in the pool by people 3 times my age, and I’ll never be the most talented person in a yoga class. These weaknesses are fine with me. You don’t have to excel at something to enjoy it.
On the other hand, I love half marathons and I’m pretty decent at them. If I focused all of my training for this distance, I could probably take myself from pretty decent to pretty good. Why focus on my weakness- the marathon- and keep getting disappointed when I could focus on my strength- the half- and keep meeting my goals?
Plain and simple: I like the challenge. If I just run halves, I’ll always wonder what I’m fully capable of in the full distance. I need to give the sucker another shot.
What are your thoughts on only doing things you’re good at? Do you like getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things?
🙂
I like that quote about focusing on strengths. I wish my boss would get that memo and stop making me work on public speaking!
You know my opinion is that you focus on half marathons and start winning prize money!
Great post, Jen. A course in Positive Psychology / Sport Psychology taught me the importance of recognizing and building upon our strengths. I agree that it’s smart to not get too caught up with what we “could be better at” – no one is good at everything. But I also think it’s important to reach outside the comfort zone – try new things, take a risk, and not be afraid to fail. In terms of running, if you enjoy the half more and are better at it, stick with that! (It seems like before you totally commit to that idea though, you want to give the full another shot.) I think there is a middle ground between (1) being in a rut with what you’re good at never venturing out to anything new and (2) trying so many things all the time that you never really stick with anything nor do you know what you really enjoy.
Good thought process. It seems like you really enjoy the half distance, but I understand you wanting to run a full again.
My dad and I had a conversation sort of like this on Saturday. He asked me why I wanted to run a half so much and why not just stick to 5k’s and get faster. I told him, 1st that 5k’s get boring after awhile and 2nd, that I want to be challenged by a distance. 5k’s don’t challenge me- I can literally roll out of bed, half awake, and run 3.1 miles in my PJ’s with no problem. I want to be challenged by something, physically and mentally. I do want to run faster 5k’s. I want to break into the 22 minute mark, but I want to do longer distances too.
Needless to say he gave me a weird look and went back to eating his ice cream. 😉
I can totally relate to this post. During Saturday’s (fabulous) half, I thought to myself at mile 12, “Wow – this is starting to kind of hurt – but whoa! I only have 1 mile left. Half marathons are awesome!”
I love that half marathons are so much easier on my body, don’t consume my life with training and are a fun distance to run.
That said, I won’t say that some small part of me wasn’t jealous of the marathoners I was cheering on at mile 24.5 as I shouted to some of them, “You’re running a marathon! You’re awesome!”
I agree that I love the challenge of the marathon because it is SO hard for me. It completely blows my mind how much harder it is for my body to handle the distance and training for it. After MCM I swore I wouldn’t run another but that resolve is already wearing thin! 🙂
I planned to focus on my strength (the 10K) after my half, but instead signed up for a full.
I think some personalities just enjoy reaching for the challenge instead of remaining in a comfort zone. That said, I am going to focus on the 10K in the spring (I just need to finish a marathon first).
I think there’s a fine line between challenging yourself with a marathon & running one because it seems like the next “logical step” in your fitness routine.
Yes, a marathon is going to be an awesome challenge, no matter how many you’ve done. But why focus on running bunches of them when it’s not the most enjoyable for you? I think there’s just as much to be proud of by running ONE in your lifetime or one a year, and focusing your efforts on more of the distance you LOVE multiple times a year.
I say keep doing the 1/2 distance and kick azz at it. Challenge yourself with speed girly – after all, that is something you’re REALLY good at!
And if you are really craving another marathon, go for it! But don’t do one just because you think you “should”.
I challenge myself with triathlons – I like each sport in a tri, so training for them is still fun. And since I’m still new to swimming it’s a REAL challenge from the get-go. Plus it really tests my endurance without having to run for miles on end. Tris help keep things fresh and I don’t get into a rut training because there’s such variety!
I am liking the challenge of training for a full marathon, but I don’t think it’s something I could feasibly do on a regular basis with how hard it is on your body and the time one must dedicate to it. I’m glad I’m pushing myself to do the full marathon at least this once though, because the half has become so much easier for me. It really is just that- a CHALLENGE that I want to take on.
I love challenging myself, as well as working on what I’m good at. I think it’s fine to do both at different times and circumstances in your life. Just do what you enjoy!
That is a good question! I understand how you like the challenge of the full, but since you are SO good at halfs and you enjoy them so much more, why not make the best out of it?
Personally, I enjoy trying new things and I do them at least once, but at the end of the day, I always go back to what I am good at. What can I say? I am competitive. I kind of cannot get the mentality “you can enjoy something even if you are not good at it”…
I have a feeling I’m going to be a half-marathoner more than a marathoner when I complete my first marathon. I’ve just started to feel like I’m getting faster by PR-ing my half marathon at the OBX. You’re right about the training. Half marathons are just soooo much easier!
i love to run, half marathons are my favorite but after hanging around with my triathlon friends too long, i jumped in and did two sprints this year. In January, I could not swim from one end of the pool to the other and a few weeks ago, I signed for for a Half Ironman!! I can’t believe it. It’s going to be rough and I am not going to love every minute of it, but this is a HUGE challenge and one I am willing to take on. It will take me a long long time to finish but I know I will finish with a smile on my face!
I think challenging yourself is often so much more rewarding than just running a distance you know you can do relatively easily. Trying new things is also more fun! 🙂
I see both sides (if thats allowed haha) I like a challenge too, but for me a good challenge would be improving to certain goals on my half time. yes I am running a marathon for the challenge, but I don’t know if after I do it or not I will want to do another one. I know better than to never say never, but as of right now, I think I would rather focus on making my half time better than doing multiple marathons. But who knows maybe I will do another!
i think its important to mix the two things together: both focusing on your strengths and adding some things that are more challenging. i love the marathon and feel like my strengths are more endurance than speed. so i spent last year focused on running marathons (granted, i only did three…). next i think it would be interesting to do some shorter races…
it’s about variety. otherwise it gets routine and mundane, even if you focus on your strengths…
I understand the concept of “doing what you’re good at and accentuating your strengths” but if I only did the parts of my job I was good at..I’d get in a lot of trouble!!
Great post! I admire you for all the races you have done! I like doing things out of my comfort zone every once in awhile to keep me learning 😉 But I do not think I do it as much as I should, haha
It was great again to see you last night!! Have a great Monday!
~Lori
I love how many races you have under your belt for 2010! Great work!! I love running half marathons myself, but in all honesty I haven’t run a full marathon yet…my first one is coming in October 2011! But as of right now I love my half marathons!
I like your post. You have a good way at looking at things…personally I don’t like reaching out of my comfort zone very often, but I do try something new every once in a while although I may try something like swimming for my something “new”…time will tell! 🙂
As I made my training plan for National, I thought the same thing. Why? I love the half-marathon distance and feel really comfortable with it. Then I thought…I love the challenge of 26.2. The fact that I am not comfortable with it is what draws me to it…I think…
Of course, in other aspects of life, I really believe in amplifying strengths. I’m happiest in my career and relationships when I am focusing on the things I do best and contributing by using those skills.
Great post. I think, at this point, it makes TOTAL sense to stick with what you’re good at. Look at how much you’ve already tried along the way! You’ve figured out what you really love and which areas you excel in, and you’ve done so by trying out a variety of options—and distances. Why waste time working toward something that you know won’t make you happy or satisfy you?
This is great!! Seriously. Continually challenging ourselves (as people and as runners) is key to growth. To be perfectly honest, I don’t LOVE running marathons. They hurt. I’ve only done one half, but I felt amazing the entire way. I’ve never felt like that during a marathon, yet I keep signing up for more. I do it because I love the challenge of the training plan, and I love to find out just what I’m capable of. And I think doing races that push us outside of our comfort zone ultimately makes us stronger.
Also, you are a running ROCKSTAR! I can’t believe how many races you have under your belt for 2010. Congratulations!
I am trying to mix up between a focus on what I like to do (have liked the half marathons — I did five this year!) and stretching myself by training and competing in events that I’m not as comfortable in.
I’ll be branching out and completing my first triathlon/duathlons next year, as well as training for a marathon (my 2nd), so those will be events that stretch my boundaries, make things harder and let me see more about what I’m capable of.
For me, half marathons are my comfort zone. I like the level of fitness I can maintain when training for these, the actual events themselves, and that I have been seeing measurable improvements.
But you don’t know what you’re capable of if you don’t branch out and try (tri) new things.
Great point. If I only did things that I was good at, I would still be 20 pounds heavier and reading a ton of books.
I’m not a natural runner at all. My running is so slow that to some, that would probably be their walking pace, but I still get out there and do it.
I like the idea of challenging myself to get better at something. Plus, I hate to quit things. I attempted to start running probably 2 or 3 different times before it stuck, and each time I quit I was so upset with myself for doing it. Now that I’ve finally stuck with it, I use it as the “control” in my life. I have no say what happens at work, or in my personal life but I do have control over running, and really, it can only get better from here! 🙂
I love the arrangement of stickers on your car! I did a sprint triathlon last summer and I am doing two more in 2011. My husband and I are doing our first half marathon next month and I want to do a full by the time I turn 25 which means in the next year or so. I keep visualizing the stickers on your car! It helps to get through a workout. Question: Do you think someone who has only completed a sprint triathlon can have a tri sticker? Or is that too short of a race? I don’t want to be a fraud, haha. Thank you for the great blog!
Girl of course! A tri is a tri no matter what the distance. Do it and own it 🙂
Thank you! That made me feel lots better 🙂
By the way where did you get your 13.1 gloves? I am guessing at a race since I can’t find them online.
I’ve been reading your blog backwards since I discovered it at lunch. It’s now 4:18…What can I say it is good!
I got them at the race expo for the Thunder Road half. Don’t know where else you could get them. Thanks for the sweet comment 🙂