Brian and I ran a 5K this morning, at a pace slightly faster than we'd anticipated, and we both feel like we could have gone even faster. I know that I myself was conserving energy for some anticipated difficulties at the end of the course that didn't happen (it ended on the field inside Michigan Stadium, which is an enormous bowl dug into the ground--I thought we'd have a tougher uphill to get into the stadium than we actually did). I had a bit of an epiphany, though, after running this morning's 5K--I think that being able to run a 5K with minimal "training" is a benchmark of good physical health for me. In order for me to feel physically healthy, I need to be able to step out of my front door and run a 3.1 mile distance, period. When it comes to my routine and regular workout schedule, I need to be able to do this relatively easily, in that it shouldn't take a great deal of preparation and build up. No carbo-loading needed, no dramatic energy conservation efforts the day before, none of that sort of thing.
Now, of course, my heart rate is greatly elevated and I'm breathing heavily when it's over. It's not a breeze for me to run one of these, but neither is it unbearable. I have energy to spare when I'm done.
I can say for sure that I'm in much better physical shape today than I was 20 years ago, and that feels awesome. But, it's only through keeping tabs on these sorts of benchmarks that I'll be able to maintain that, or perhaps even improve on it. This is one area of my life in which consistent, quiet discipline is necessary, and I'm prone to making lots of excuses when the discipline isn't there. I have my baseline clothing size, weight, BMI--and those I'll keep to myself. But this is another benchmark: can I go run a 5K today? If the answer is "no," then I'm letting something slide, and I'm not keeping up with my promises to myself.
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