Running Foolishly

Today’s Run

Time – 1:24:08
Distance – 8.5 miles
Pace – 9:52 min/mi
Elevation – 259 ft.

Nothing like the longer run of the week coming the day after a harder run. Not my best idea ever, but it didn’t hurt and this run was about 30 minutes shorter than it should have been, so that works out for keeping injury/fatigue at bay. My calves still feel crampy, which the chiropractor tells me is a function of a lack of calcium. I don’t think I can eat much more Greek yogurt, so I’ll have to figure something else out. This run was good. It was cold to start, and got warm, so the pants and double shirt were not really needed, despite the fact I started running when it was 44 degrees Fahrenheit. I could have done with a few more miles to get used to running tired. I have been feeling the struggle in the 13–15 mile range, which was right around 2–2.5 hours. I need to get used to running long runs in the 2.5–3 hour range if I’m going to see the success I want in the marathon, though.

Being foolish is the way to go

Epictetus said, “If thou wouldst make progress, be content to seem foolish and void of understanding with respect to outward things. Care not to be thought to know anything. If any should make account of thee, distrust thyself.” Source: Wikiquote

In other words, improvement requires trial-and-error, failure and another attempt, and dedication to the learning of the craft through action. Epictetus spoke about those who would only learn from books as being nothing at all. They have no true understanding, only the ability to repeat someone else’s knowledge. Those who continue to improve and grow are the ones who seem to constantly be learning AND doing. That is the meaning of the second part of the quote. Those who appear to be the most knowledgable are the ones who do not recognize how little they know. They think they have reached the end.

The ones who are constantly striving to be better are the ones who will get better. Discovering your own limitations and working to overcome them will do two things:

1. You’ll understand how little you know;
2. You’ll work to learn what you don’t know, thereby getting better than you were.

That’s the rub. It’s all about the constant work. You’ll have to put in time every day to get better at it, whatever it is. This is the result of pursuing THE GOAL. More work. And that’s how you make a difference.

It seems disheartening to think that you’ll never be done. By Epictetus’ standard, you’ll ALWAYS be working at whatever you are trying to master. But, for those who study a craft at which they want to be the best they can be, those people know that you’ll never be done. It doesn’t end. The pursuit of excellence doesn’t have a finish line. It’s about the refinement.

The best runners in the world, for example, are constantly running. They go out nearly every day and do the workout. Haile Gebrselassie, one of the greatest runners of all time, once said that he runs every day except Sundays and Christmas. That’s A LOT of running.

He’s 44, and he still runs. “I’m retiring from competitive running, not from running. You cannot stop running, this is my life.” Source: Wikipedia

Make being foolish your life.