One might thing that the Governor’s decision to close school the rest of the year would make life easier on teachers and principals…

NOT SO!

It is challenging enough to wrap up a school year when one is on-site.  Figuring out how to do this remotely is as much, if not more so, of a challenge.

My days, are filled with meeting, reports, and so forth as we try to figure out so many things that are new and different and unimagined.  

Today I needed to get another two miles in before my big three mile attempt (outside) on Friday.  On Friday, Ed, my dear friend and running buddy, is coming over to help “carry” me through the three mile effort, my longest run yet.  We’ll have our very first “social distance” run.  It should be interesting.  “Hi, let’s run together, but stay away from me.”

Today, knowing that my work would begin early and last into the evening with virtually no time to do much of anything else, I made the decision (after stretching and doing some of my physical therapy exercises) to maximize my effort and minimize my time on the treadmill.  

Rather than taking this two-mile effort slowly, I figured I’d do it “fast.”  (Fast for me, at this stage in my recovery… 17 weeks to the day from surgery on my Achilles.)  I set the treadmill to 6.0 MPH and determined to run the entire distance at that pace.

I did! 

(I actually hit the “6” button too enthusiastically at the start, that’s why I finished just under twenty minutes.  My first few strides were at 6.6 MPH before I realized I was at that pace and put the TM to a more reasonable 6.0.)

After five minutes at that pace, I was working very (very) hard and wondered how I could sustain that effort for another 15 minutes.  

But, I did.  I kept scanning and skipping songs on my iPad to find ones that filled me with extra energy (does that really work?) to help me over the distance.  It became as much a mind game as a physical one.  

Once I reached one mile, I convinced myself that I had already done the hard work.  I pushed and pushed and maintained the pace.  It’s good to know I have this ability to maintain the focus through the struggle and when my body is telling me to stop or slow down.  

Running is as much a mental sport as a physical one. So far my mental fitness is also right where it should be.  

Two more miles in the book.

A fast(er) two miles, today.

I’m pleased. 

The NYC Marathon is just 179 days away.