Penguin Training Tips: Part Two
Famed running aficionado John “The Penguin” Bingham has twenty tips for happy training. In part-two, The Penguin outlines five more tips to get you on the road to more enjoyable running.
6. Today’s the day
I saw a great shirt once. It read: “The older I get, the better I used to be”. In a long distance training program it doesn’t matter how good you used to be. It only matters how good you are right now.
Each day of training counts. The short days. The long days. And the rest days. Each of them contributes to your success. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow isn’t here. Make today’s training count.
7. One moment in time
As a junior high student, in a basketball game of no particular significance, I had a chance to be a hero. The game was tied, the clock had nearly run out, and I had the ball. My shot fell quietly to the floor and we lost the game.
Race day is that moment in time for most of us. The difference between success and failure on that day has nothing to do with your pace or finishing time. Your success will come down to your ability to reach into your soul and find the athlete that you want to be.
8. White line fever
I’ve spent nearly all of my life as a motorcyclist. Many of those years motorcycling was much more than a hobby, it was a passion. It didn’t matter on what. It didn’t matter where. I just wanted to be riding.
Now my passion is running and walking. And like the years of motorcycling I don’t really care where I’m running and walking. I just want to be doing it. Training for me is just one more chance to do what I want to be doing anyway.
9. Running in Circles
People who don’t understand the Indy 500 think that there’s nothing very exciting about cars going ‘round and ‘round at 200 miles an hour. But if that’s all you see you’re missing 99% of what makes Indy such a great race.
Runners who avoid track workouts are also missing the point. It isn’t just a matter of running around the track. The track is where you can learn what works, experience was doesn’t, and walk away knowing that you’ve made true training progress.
10. Unfinished Business
As we get deeper and deeper into the training program, the memory of why you started on this journey may start to fade. You may have to think long and hard about what exactly is was that motivated you to begin.
The danger, right now, is that you will stand at the starting line not having given yourself the full benefit of the training program. Recommit to your training to avoid finding yourself at finish line wondering how well you might have done.