Paint by number

When I was young, I came across coloring books where pages were filled with outlines of animals with numbers scattered all around a frame which presumably is a picture of a zoo animal. The objective of the coloring book is to follow the numbers (1 = red; 2 = black; etc) and color in all the predefined numbers until the page is all colored and filled with the corresponding color scheme. Once completed, an animal appears like magic. For some of us, this paint by number way of thinking is how we operate in our life. We just follow the numbers on a page and color within the boundaries and all will be revealed. It's so easy to live life this way.

I tried a similar route to my training plan. I tried using a template from the internet as my training plan but I never stuck to it from start to finish. However, I am rethinking my strategy this time. I am going to create a plan of my own to reflect my current fitness. I will put together a first draft after I pick my first race for 2023. We’re all unique so our training plan should reflect our uniqueness. We can use what’s on the internet as a reference for which we can build our training plan. However, we should broaden our strokes and paint outside the lines in order to discover what we’re capable of. 

The preparation

We all need a goal before we begin a race/project/dinner party. Sometimes, the fun is doing the planning, getting the ingredients ready for the meal or just procrastinating from doing our work. We often distract ourselves from doing what we told ourselves to do hoping that the thing we’re supposed to do will get done on its own. It never works out that way. The distraction will lead to a last minute rush to get the thing done. The result will show that we’ve done it half-assed. We have to make an upfront commitment and put it on the calendar and draw a big circle around the date. Let it stare at us until we’re so tired of looking at it then we take action. 

I have my big red circle around October 2025. That’s the date I will be running my first attempt at a Boston Marathon qualifying race. It’s my first attempt because I know there are variables outside of my control. All I can control is doing my training consistently and trusting the process. There will be many mini-milestones before then. The work now is to run steadily around 30 miles per week and slowly increase 1% each week for 3 months. Afterwards, I will see where I am and what my body is telling me before I take my training to the next phase.

“ I do what is mine to do; the rest doesn’t disturb me.” Book six-verse23, Meditations 

Why am I starting this blog?

Dear Self, 

Why am I starting this blog? What is the intention behind this scary act of putting our private thoughts where anyone can see? Here are a few somewhat logical or illogical reasons.

• I am training to run in a Boston Qualifying (BQ) race before turning 50. I will track my progress using this blog which will serve as a digital notebook for my training.
• This public platform will serve as a personal lab for me to practice my writing, 
• I love to read about philosophy. I am using this blog to clarify concepts I'm reading so I can absorb them into my daily life. 
• I have a strange cat who acts like a dog. I will record his shenanigans so you can decide for yourself.  

Running Log

This will be an online running-log with details of my training runs. I am targeting the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, Pennsylvania to be my BQ race in October 2025. I will blog about my progress with my training, nutrient, diet and sleep and any other factors that have an impact on my results. 

It's a practice

This blog is to help me improve my writing. Knowing that I need to publish on a certain date, I will make sure I don't miss the deadline. I know this is will bug me if I don't finish or finish late. The act of writing -really write and not read about writing- will only improve my writing. So I am determined to tap tap away on a set schedule.  

Clarifying concepts

I will write down in my own words the concepts I am reading in order to clarify what I am learning. Using my own words to explain is the best way to learn the materials. 

Including philosophy in my writing will add another dimension to the running blog. Since it's an interest of mine, I will try to squeeze in a little Marcus Aurelius wherever I can. 

ManTou, the Cat

He acts like a dog. He is a Van breed, which we adopted over a year ago. This is why we gave him his birthday (DOB July 2021). There will be more on him later.

A blog wouldn't be complete without a foil in the story. It will give the blog another subject other than myself to write about. I will include him in my story whenever he acts like a screwball which is all the time.

"I'm not here"