Saturday 11 January 2014

A good jog!

 A few years back a friend was up to visit. He had been through a rough patch and he was trying to turn over a new leaf in life. So the one afternoon he looks at me as says "lets go for a jog", I agreed I really enjoying jogging and running but never got out enough. So we got our runners out and headed out. I take off like normal and find he is not keeping up, I look back and see he is not keeping up. I slow down to a walk and find with a quick step I can easily keep up with his jog. I look at him and say "what is this? warm up?" He doesn't say much and we keep going. Finally the pace is not picking up and again I ask, "when are we going to start jogging?". Without missing a step he says "You have to start slow. This is my pace right now, if you have a problem screw off!". I kept pace with him and didn't say much else after that. 5 years later he has lost over 60lbs and is out pacing me every time I turn around. In the end jogging wasn't his thing, he owns three bikes (a downhill, a cruiser and a commuter.) What did he do different, I think it all comes down to that day. He took small steps, focused and kept motivated. Where as I jumped out, tried things at full speed, next to no warm up, just wanted to go from rookie to pro. I lost the drive as I overloaded myself right off the bat. He took it slow, found what worked and what he enjoyed, as he learned to enjoy his new lifestyle he embraced it and it moved from trying to get in shape and lose a few pounds to trying get new personal records and finding new ways to push himself. The small steps made everything come together. Though I didn't see it at the time I now look back and think "what a jog" if I had taken that approach I could be in the same place he is. When step at a time, one mindset at a time everything will come together if we stay focused, no matter what the inspiration we have to start at the right pace.

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