"Through running we discover the five stages of man and woman"

I've been a busy bee. In the second semester of pursuing my PhD, I enrolled in 2 classes doubling the work but when you get to study what you love, it's not a bad thing. Coaching and Runner's Lab have taken off as well, but I don't consider either "work" because it's so much fun. Hard work has gotten me to a place where I can really enjoy what it is I get to do. I am a lucky girl. One of my classes is "the nature and practice of science", as one of my classmates likes to say and I agree, "I eat science for breakfast!" and while chipping away at the work for this class I get to choose which scientists I would like to focus on and incorporate my love for physiology. While reading an autobiography of renowned physiologist Dr. Tim Noakes, I came across this passage that I want to share with you. This brief synopsis is on the words of George Sheehan and it really impressed me. To learn more about who George Sheehan is, head over to this link to read some really great essays on running:
http://www.georgesheehan.com/welcome/

Through running we discover the five stages of man and woman:

1. We have to become good animals. We have to recover that animal energy, that good tight body, that sense of occupying just the right amount of space.

2. Become children again, discovering play and of doing something fun.

3. Meditation: a chance to be our own artist, uncover areas of our minds that we ordinarily fail to see, but which running can unlock.

4. The chance to be a hero, run our personal best in a race or find out how much we can endure. "Sport, outside of war, is the only way we can establish whether or not we are cowards".

5. Running can teach us our own limitations. It teaches us effort, not performance, is what counts because despite our greatest efforts, most of us will never be elite runners.

Finally, a great quote from Noakes, "There are mental components to exercise that I still do not fully understand, but as a physiologist I know each of us is a unique, never to be repeated experiment. Our duty is to take what has been given to us, accept it as our lot and extract the absolute best from it".

I will be using this philosophy while running the Caumsett 25k this Sunday with M.E. YAY!! NYC half marathon in two weeks so Sunday will be 15+ run in thirds: easy, moderate, and goal half pace, can't think of a better way to run 15: a nice park, supported and with a good friend!

Thanks for reading! Happy running/swimming/cycling/training to you!