Allow me to explain. There are a lot of people out there who just pound the pavement for a few miles every day and call it good. But, for those preparing for a race, that just won't do. A training runner has a specific schedule of different types of runs. You have your speedwork, you have your tempo runs (race pace runs at shorter than race distance), you have your long runs, you have your recovery (or easy) runs. Every run has a purpose and a goal, and a run without either of those is what we call "junk miles." These are miles that don't get you any closer to a specific goal. Maybe you are asking yourself, "Don't you run for pleasure? My heck." Every single one of them is for pleasure, I say. Seriously.
I've been in a philosophical mood lately, and thinking about junk miles has my brain analyzing my life in general. It seems like I have many days where I just deal with whatever is thrown at me with no plan or strategy. It seems like I have lots of long term goals yet my day to day behavior isn't getting me any closer. It seems like I go through the motions sometimes but don't execute to the level that would make me and my life any better.
In the "olden days" I worked as a trainer for a retail company. It was my job to teach people the corporately acceptable ways to act while employed with us. Almost 100% of the time here's how things would go: The person would leave my office incredibly motivated and ready to execute the behaviors. This would last a few days, and then slowly they would relapse into their old behaviors or the way everyone else was doing it. My boss and I called this "diminished intent." It is really hard to translate ideas (no matter how good) into changed behaviors. Many times retraining was involved, or additional coaching or motivating, and inevitably there was a certain set of people for whom change was not possible.
Haven't we all experienced this? Gone to an excellent church meeting or watched an episode of "Frontline" that made us think, "That's it. I am never swearing/never eating fries/always recycling until the day I die." and then by Tuesday next week you are back to cursing, eating, and throwing away? I totally have.
Junk miles.
That's what it was. Good intentions but no real follow through.
I'm making a little vow. I know I can't cut all the "junk miles" out of my life. I'm too lazy and too fully human. But I'm going to cut a few for sure. I vow to myself that I am going to really THINK about the behaviors that I am engaging in on a daily basis and ask myself if these are indeed the behaviors that are going to help me become the person I want to be. If the answer is yes, I'm going to keep them. If the answer is maybe, I'm going to improve my execution of them so that they do make a difference. And, if the answer is no, I'm going to try REALLY hard to quit.
The end.
Of this lecture anyway.
(But not my philosophizing, because I have at least one more topic that has been fermenting in my brain for weeks. I just need to birth it.)
4 comments:
Love the analogy and insight. Wanna come speak to my special education students? Seriously! This is exactly what I tell them all the time in an effort to change their behavior (in the classroom, anyway).
I should work harder in applying it to my personal life and goals. It is nice to know I am not in this boat sailing around all by myself. :)
I couldn't be more proud and jealous of your new PR 5k this morning. Not one step was a junk step.
Seriously you NEED to try Bikram yoga. It's totally hippy and I barely survived but my body hasn't felt this good in ages.
I was just thinking how much I 'used' to get done in a day. Now I can only tread water. I have been blaming it on the third kid, a bigger house, more work duties, getting older, etc. After reading this, I am going to get rid of my 'junk miles'.
Thanks for the push in the right direction.
Amen, Sister! I have way too many junk miles in my life. I need to regroup and think through things before I commit to any more relationships or work. Thanks for the much needed inspiration.
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