Run Forrest Run - "My mama said, 'Stupid is as stupid does.'"

One of the biggest problems I have in the triathlon, duathlon and century events I have completed as well as often during my training sessions is taking off way too fast. I hear the words "I am timing you" or "top 3 win" and my brain shifts into a competition mode and it doesn't shut down easily. So, my run coach decided this week that she would teach me and my fellow running partners a lesson.

Toni, our run coach, said that she was going to time us. We were to run down 4 light poles and back...then down 5 light poles and back...then finally down 6 light poles and back...The object was for our last time to be less than our initial time. Being the jokester that I am, this was an easy accomplishment in my head and I huddled us together for a quick planning session. We'd show her. Obviously, the key was to run the first leg slow. Duh! Like I said, in my head it worked. In the execution it failed...as soon as two of us heard the sound "GO", we bolted down the path like a horse out of the start gate. With the first leg time recorded (and it was low), I had to go into Plan B. I decided that I would do a "slower jog" down but this time, full-on sprint back...that would surely solve the problem we'd created for ourselves...When all was said and done...this plan failed for us also.

So with this said, the lesson of the evening: Slow and steady wins the race. Pacing is everything and with a 140.6 mile race a year from now, I hope to take this lesson with me.