{Training Day: Week 6}

Waking up at 5:30 a.m. to run 10 miles
Running in blistering heat
Running in the rain
Running in 400-meter circles
Feeling as if your lungs are about to explode
Paying good money for the privilege of turning your toenails black
Any combination of the above

3. Let Angry Motorists Go. We all understand the impulse when a driver has just pulled out in front of you or turned directly in your path or otherwise behaved like a jerk. Do yourself—and all runners—a favor and fight that impulse. Smile. Your lashing out isn’t likely to change the driver’s behavior, and may, in fact, worsen it. Let him go.

4. For Pete’s Sake, Stand Still at Red Lights. Sharks die when they stop moving. Runners do not. Keep this in mind next time you encounter a don’t walk sign at a busy intersection. There’s no need to jog in place or dance from foot to foot like you have to pee. Just chill. Wait a few moments.

5. “Lookin’ good!”…and other runners’ lies. Lying is not something we normally endorse. But it’s perfectly acceptable to tell a runner that he is looking good at mile 19 of a marathon when, in fact, he looks like an insomniac who’s trying to sneeze, and is confused because someone has switched his running shoes with replicas made of concrete. The go-to lie is “Lookin’ good!” The key is to say something. Even a zombie appreciates encouragement.

6. Running Rules of Thumb

• If you see a porta potty with no line, use it. Even if you don’t need to
• If you have to ask yourself, Does this driver see me? The answer is no
• If you have to ask yourself, Are these shorts too short? The answer is yes
• 1 glazed doughnut = 2 miles
• You rarely regret the runs you do; you almost always regret the runs you skip
• Not everyone who looks fast really is, and not everyone who looks slow really is
• Running any given route in the rain makes you feel 50 percent more hard-core than covering the same route on a sunny day
• If you care even a little about being called a jogger versus a runner, you’re a runner

7. Smile at Your Critics. A few people will never miss a chance to tear running down, or jab its adherents in the chest with a rhetorical finger. Oddly enough, the most vocal of such critics are often in terrible health themselves. The best response is to continue running and loving it. Meantime, try inviting these critics to join you for a short run. Who knows? Maybe someday they’ll accept your invitation.

8. Never Miss a Chance To Thank a Volunteer. Even if you’re running the race of your life, you can still manage a bit of eye contact and a nod as you grab a cup of water from an outstretched hand. Even if it feels like your quads are quite literally on fire, you can manage to sputter a short “thanks” to the course marshal standing in the intersection. It will make the volunteer feel good. And you, too.

How insightful–I swear the more I run, the more I understand the thinking behind a lot of these unsaid “rules” and I try to be more in-tune with those around me, too. As far as this week, here is my training schedule:
Monday: Easy Run 3 miles @ 10:30 pace – DONE
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Medium Run 4 miles @ 10:00 pace
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Easy Run 3 miles @ 10:30 pace
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Long Run 5 miles @ 12:44 pace