Parallels in Running and Work Life

Four days since the last time I wrote.  And so much to think about.

Thursday, I did a nice track workout with 8x200, all under 40, increasing speed as I went along.

Friday, I did an easy 4 just to keep the legs loose.

Saturday, I tried once again to prove that all the track work, all the hill work, and my general approach to training would, in fact, lead to a sub-19.  And again, I didn’t make it.  The splits were not horrible.  But I ran a 19:36.  I can say now that I am done that 5000 meters at race pace on the track is not easy alone.  Even early in the morning.  Even on a flat surface.  My legs were tight.  I probably should have taken a day off this week.  And my stomach tightened at about 2/3 of the way through.  I had eaten late the night before and stayed up late. Perhaps I really will never go sub-19 again.  But in the end, it doesn’t matter.  I’ve learned a lot along the way.

So, this morning, I ran an easy 8—average pace just over 8:30.  I’m up to a total of 877 miles for the year.  That puts me on Old Manchester Rd as it swerves off Manchester Rd/Missouri Route 100/US-66.  So, I will be back at US-66 and then on US-50.  The connection with US-50 is interesting as it will take me through about 30 miles of running.  Driving, I’ll be on a much different part of US-50 next week as we go to Ocean City, Maryland, for the final lacrosse tournament of the 2014 spring season.

I share some thoughts about my running issues with someone who has been sharing my running journey.  There are some interesting parallels between my work life and my running life.  In my work life, we have a performance review system in which the supervisor is asked to provide goals, name strengths, list watch outs, and suggest important networks. 

For strengths my boss listed attention to detail, creativity, and connectivity.  I think that these are well reflected in my running as well as my work life.  I love data.  I love to analyze carefully what I have been running and what I need to run.  I try to make every workout just right.  (And I have found that I get something positive out of making every workout just right even if I do not meet my racing goals.  It shows that I am focused on the journey or process just as much as I am on the outcome.)  On the creativity and connectivity side, the connectivity is with people in the case of work.  I have also found ways to connect with people in my running.  And the creativity is finding ways to link running to all sorts of other things and write about the connections and ideas. 

For watch outs, he listed three: pacing for productivity, “getting to win,” and professional image.  The last translates into “maybe your academic writing has gotten you this far but you will need to ‘look good’ to get further—but some more suits.”  OK.  Does that relate at all to running?  Maybe.  I definitely think of myself as looking more like a serious runner in how I dress for my running now than I used to.  Pacing for productivity—faster decision making, more decisive, get things done.  I can relate to that in my running although the pacing for running can be up or down.  The key is getting it right.  Finally, on the “getting to win” point.  I’m not sure I’d call that having a “killer instinct” but there is an element of completion.  There is an element of seeing things through.  There is an element of making certain that things happen.  Mental toughness to see things through.  Again, I can relate it to my running inasmuch as I clearly have to get better at not just doing the workouts and preparation but at making sure that all is done well—including the “final presentation” (or the race).

For networking, there was a focus on networking with leaders in my performance review.  I think that hanging with very good runners is something that I have been doing and continue to do and finding the right runners to help me improve my own running is also key. 

The parallels between my work life and my running life are not entirely surprising.  What you see is what you get. Someone who pays attention a lot.  Someone who tries very hard.  Someone who can work step by step.  But someone who sometimes finds it challenging to bring everything together and produce an excellent and expected final outcome. 

40 Days to Better: Day 40

Today is the last of the days before the half marathon.  Tomorrow--whatever the temperature and whatever is going on with precipitation or not, I will run.  I am better.  I am ready.  I will run.  I will wear my watch but try to minimize the number of times I look at it.  I will take water while I run but mostly poor it over my head.  I expect not to take food while I run--I will eat early in the morning when I awaken.  I will just run.  And I will breath.  And I will enjoy it.

My bib number (see the picture to the right) is 10470.  I have not done a blog entry about a bib number in a long time.  In part, that is because I have not raced in a long time.  However, I figured that with the opportunity to have this as a moment of reflection on the last of the 40 days on the road to better, it might be a good thing to do.  Then, on race day, I can write about where my discernment has led me and draw this to a conclusion.

So, what verse did I come up with?  I had to stretch my imagination to find something that I liked in this case.  I came up with searching for a book in which verses 10 and 11 (4+7) from the beginning (0), so 1:10-11, would mean something to me.  I found Mark 1:10-11

On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. 

And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

So, why is this relevant to me.  Jesus had just been baptized.   God was pleased with his obedience.  It is a sign that obedience is well rewarded.

I do not claim to have been obedient to everything in the church.  Nor do I claim to think that I am necessarily going to be well rewarded by God.  But I do believe in following instructions when it comes to training.  I do believe in doing things right when it comes to being ready to run.  And I do believe that if I do what I plan and I follow instructions, good things will come.

This carries over to other parts of life.  Following directions is generally a good thing.  I don't expect the voice of God to ever greet me when I follow directions.  I don't expect a gold star every time I follow directions.  Following directions should just be second nature.  A part of life. An expected thing to do.  But sometimes I need reminding.  And finding this set of two verses on the day before a race is a good thing to remind me of the importance of following a plan during the race and following a plan in life to maximize the probability of a successful outcome.  

The "Baltimore" Way

After the Ravens won the Super Bowl last night both the quarterback and the coach were interviewed (as, I am sure, were many other player and people related to the team(.  What caught my attention were similar comments made by the quarterback and the coach.  Each said, essentially, that the win was not pretty or easy but that it was a win and what was the way things were done in Baltimore.

Why did this catch my attention?  Well, as I look back and look ahead, I think of what I used to think symbolized my life and my running.  Growing up outside Philadelphia, I used to take a lot of inspiration from the Rocky movies (particularly the original and the first sequel--not so much the rest).  What I took away was the underdog, the almost getting something, the fact that the almost getting something still involved an incredible process, and the coming back to succeed on a second try.  

Looking ahead, I think of my career since undergrad.  There were steps that I took that were not the most obvious and didn't always make things the easiest.  Switching away from a comfortable major in undergrad.  Taking on a double program in graduate school with one of the two being something that was still kind of new to me.  Taking on a position at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with no prior grant experience.  Failing to take the "simplest" path to promotion.  Deciding after reaching full professor that teaching was my passion.  And now taking on a position for which I think I am ready but for which even my new boss (i.e., the Dean of the Business School at JHU) has said there are some things I will need to do that I have not demonstrated before.  Even in my running--I have always had the ability and the talent but I took nearly 20 years off and then came back.  I have come back to a combination of different challenges but carried on.  Even in my music, I decided to take on a new instrument in my mid 30's to join a worship band.

Each example, I have not done things the most obvious way, the prettiest way, or the easiest way, but I have succeeded despite the less than obvious choices.  Hopefully this will continue to describe my adult hometown football team.  Hopefully this may describe my adult hometown as it tries to bring itself to a greater sense of economic and general well-being.  And hopefully it will continue to describe my own life.