Shaving minutes

Time gets away so quickly sometimes. Two weeks and no blogging. Oh well, at least today.

I've been keeping my schedule pretty good -- three runs during the week and a longer run on the weekends. I'm really trying to let me body tell me what it wants to do instead of me pushing it. And most importantly, I'm focusing on relaxing my entire body except the core during the run.

In ChiRunning, form over distance will bring speed naturally without trying. I've always believed it in my head but it's been hard for me to really trust but it's true. I went out yesterday to do 2.5 miles and all I focused on was relaxing -- even my face. Oddly, I seem to squint really hard even with sunglasses on, so I've been trying to relax from the head down.

I felt I was working harder than usual but I figured it was the junk food lunch I ate. Not so. I was actually running faster as a result of trying to relax more and not effort (yes, I'm making effort a verb now). I have taken 30 seconds off my first mile in the last few weeks and last night took a full minute off the second mile.

I don't want to get too excited about this because I am trying to walk the talk of running for the joy without caring about time or distance. Which I'm doing not so much by choice but I really have to let my body tell me what it wants to do because I have kicked the crap out of it telling it what I want it to do. It's all about the process not the results. Still, it's a kick to shave minutes off my runs.