In an Ideal World

I would like every run (or let's just say most) to be a good one.  I would like to run at least 6 miles a day.  Every day.  You read that right.  Seven days a week.  But I wouldn't limit it to 6.  That would just be the minimum.  I would like to do Pilates regularly (3 times a week) so that my core could keep up with the rest of me.  And I would like to have really toned arms.

In an ideal world. 

At this stage of my life (unemployed, no children, healthy, no injuries) the question could be posed as to why I am not doing these things.  My answer...I don't know.  I have some excuses though.  Lack of motivation.  Heat.  I get tired.  I forget what I want and instead of doing push-ups, I have a bowl of ice cream (because I am hot).  I have a run that isn't good - or maybe two or three in a row and then I get discouraged.  And I'm hot.

Being from Florida you would think I could handle the heat.  And I think there was a time when I did not notice it.  In high school, I used to run every day after school.  That had to be about 3:00-3:30 in the afternoon.  In Panama City, FL.  So I'm not sure how I lost that or when I started noticing that heat was so unpleasant. But I am there.  I am so very there.

And I am frustrated.

I wrote a few days ago that I had a plan.  My plan is that I would like to run a 50 mile race.  As soon as I decided and started looking for one to enter, I was ready to hit the ground running (literally).  I wanted to start building my base (currently at 12 miles, which I do once a week) up to 15 and then begin working it back up to marathon distance and beyond.  I wanted to start running twice a day a few times a week, tackling harder hills each week, and hitting the gym for other strength training needs. 

But the heat is getting in my way.  Or I'm allowing it to.  My weekly mileage is not climbing like I'd planned, I am not hitting the gym, and I am not running twice a day.  I do realize I only made "the plan" a few days ago, but still.  Usually, when I make a plan it renews my interest and energy to get out there and get after it. 

So it is time for a new plan - or several small ones.  Instead of planning for the 50 miler alone and going from there, I'm going to have milestones (a term I learned from my time with NASA).  Weekly, monthly, goal races, and then the biggie.  I'm looking at a 50 miler in October (possibly too soon) or one in December (good timing, but not as beautiful as the one in October).

And maybe, with shorter milestones, I can obtain a small portion of that ideal world.  I will record my journey here, of course.