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On Mondays, we’ll lock in together: See below for a motivational tidbit to start your week, perspective on movement I’m focusing on, and music I’m enjoying I’d like to share with you 🙂
1/3. Motivation
If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being only for myself, what am 'I'? And if not now, when?
While this can be interpreted in various ways, to me it underscores the importance of responsibility, altruism, and the present moment.
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?: At the end of the day, we have to make sure we are in our own corner. It’s important to take steps to protect and nurture yourself to push towards how you envision your life. Minimize the disconnect of how you see yourself and how you show up for yourself.
And being only for myself, what am 'I'?: A reminder that though our goals are unique to us, we derive purpose and true fulfillment from serving something larger than just the small space on the planet we occupy. How do our actions create ripple effects to those around us?
And if not now, when?: The present is the only moment we can truly control. Delaying our actions can lead to missed potential - why wait? There’s no guarantee that ‘later’ will give you the opportunity to action on intent.
Don't wait for the perfect moment. Tackle that challenging task, initiate that important conversation, or start that project you've been putting off. This week is yours to shape. Balance your personal growth with your contributions to the world around you, and act with intention and immediacy.
2/3. Movement
Understanding and Accepting Each Run Has a Purpose
When I first started running, I found myself constantly wishing I could match or beat the pace of my previous run. I compared every run, regardless of distance. However, it's unrealistic to expect the same pace from a 30 minute outdoor run, where you encounter wind and varying elevations, to a 30-minute treadmill run. Even more, your ability during a 45-minute steady-paced run will naturally differ from a 2-mile run. In the beginning, I didn’t understand this, so feeling like I wasn’t ‘improving’ with each run led me to feel discouraged.
My feelings towards running evolved thanks to the Nike Run Club app. While run clubs are popular now, this app, having been around for a while, provided a sense of community while allowing me to learn at my own pace. You run with guided Nike coaches supporting you, but are still taking it at your own pace. I used the NRC Half Marathon training program when training for my first half marathon, which helped me understand the different types of runs. I learned to appreciate the fast runs, the slow runs, those designed to elevate my heart rate, and those intended for a lower heart rate.
Over the coming weeks, I plan to delve into each of these run types in detail. To start, I wanted to provide an overview. Hopefully, this will help you think about structuring your runs more effectively and find joy in measuring your progress through multiple lens’, versus comparing each one to the other.
NOTE: The below was inspired by a post from Under Armour titled “The 10 Types of Runs Every Runner Should Know”. Please refer to the source here.
Run | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
Easy Run | Short, comfortable run at moderate pace. Shouldn’t feel overly exerted, think ‘conversation pace’ | 3-5 miles at a conversational pace |
Long Run | Extended run to build endurance and mental strength - typically builds up in length once a week when training for a race | 10-20+ miles at a steady pace |
Tempo Run | Sustained, moderately hard effort to improve lactate threshold. Should feel uncomfortable | Pace where HR is 85% to 90% of your maximum HR |
Interval Run | High-intensity bursts followed by recovery periods (jog, walk, rest) to boost speed | 400m repeats with equal recovery jogs |
Progression Run | Gradually increasing pace throughout the run to build stamina | Start easy, finish at tempo pace |
Fartlek Run | Varied pace run with bursts of speed ”Speed Play” in Swedish | Mix easy jogging with short sprints and moderate surges (e.g., 30min at 5K pace, 30min at 10K pace) |
Hill Repeats | Repeated ascents of a hill to build strength and power | 6-10 repeats up a steep hill, jogging down for recovery |
Recovery Run | Very easy cool down run to promote blood flow and reduce muscle soreness after a longer run | 2-4 miles at a very relaxed pace after a hard workout |
3/3. Music
Seafret released a new EP this past week, and it instantly transported me back to visit songs of theirs I added into my playlists back in 2018. For those unfamiliar, Seafret is a British duo, Jack Sedman (vocals) and Harry Draper (guitar), who formed in 2011. They're known for their beautifully melancholic blend of indie folk and rock. I’d say their music reminds me of Novo Amor or Amber Run.
Give them a listen, the first is a song of theirs I saved back in 2018. The second is from the new EP.
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