Tick Tock

You know when you’re about to do something that you shouldn’t do, but you go ahead and do it anyway?  Well, after more than 90 days of running without a watch, I took a bite of the forbidden apple and peaked at the clock on my cell phone before I started my run.  You see, I wanted to know if my speed had increased over these past three months.  Before Running Without a Watch, my fastest time for the three mile run was 27 minutes.   As soon as I did it though, I knew it was a mistake; my curiosity had gotten the better of me. 

After seeing the time, my entire run changed for the worse.  I kept pushing myself to go faster, afraid to slow down.  I didn’t enjoy my run and I felt pressured until the end.  Even though I finished my run in 25 minutes, which is two minutes faster than before, I didn’t feel like celebrating.  Instead of relaxing during my run and reflecting on the day, I was totally obsessed with the ticking of the clock.

After a blunder, the best you can do is to learn from it and move on.  I have a renewed respect for the power of Running Without a Watch, and will keep my eyes focused on the beautiful scenery around me as I take flight for my next evening run.