PARAPHRASING MURAKAMI: WHAT I "THINK" ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING
From two years on, Running has become my living mode, the engine of my “machine”, the fuel of my heart; it’s my anti-depressant, my personal lexatin.
Not always have I been a sporty guy, though I practiced some sport at school, but not in a rather serious manner. Golf used to be my main occupation at most of my free time. I started practicing at the age of five, and I quit playing when I had my first contact with team sports: basket, from my thirteen’s to my fifteen’s, and rugby, from my fifteen’s till the age of twenty five (approx.). I combined this rugby period with intense gym sessions, consequently gaining much weight that brought me back to my 88s (kgs). It was a great period of my life. If I ever have kids (and hope I will), I will thoroughly encourage them to practice this sport. It combines many essential issues of life: friendship, team work, strategic thinking and excellent physical conditions, hence bringing out the best from each one of us.
But time has the “kindness” of never stopping, nor giving us the chance for a break. As one keeps growing, and approaches a certain mental and physical barrier to keep on tackling, scoring tries or jumping lineouts, a moment in life arrives when you start seeking for less intense activities that equally keep you fit and request a mental challenge on an every day basis.
This is how running appeared in my life. Back in September 2009, I tried to restart my rugby adventure, but during my first returning match, I was badly tackled suffering a serious injury on my jawbone and eye socket. Needless to say that having huge similarity with Scarface was not something I was very keen on at the age of 32. By that time, I was working for a Belgian bank, and a running club was organised with a group of 20 employees approx. A master coach was signed, Luis Javier González Fanegas, an eight hundred meters specialist and one of the athletes representing Spain’s national team at 1992’s Barcelona Olympic Games. The running club was intensely promoted by a regular runner, Angel Gutierrez Talledo, a colleague who has subsequently become a good friend of mine, and by another key member of the team, Amanda Barreiro Jarvis, who is an absolute representative of sacrifice, constant effort, and with an iron will. These three running mates have meant much to me during this time, and thanks to them I have tasted the Greatness of this sport.
As every new-born runner, my initial targets were focused on short distance races. Once my inceptive 10k run was over, my first thoughts were related to the “heroic deed” of my achievement. I had never run 10k before, and thinking of any longer distance goal was something which had never crossed my mind. This was a period of short training sessions, 45m-60m, at the Retiro Park in Madrid. Every Tuesday at lunch time, the running club met and, following Luis Javier’s indications, a training session was carried out. As time went by and Luis Javier understood that I was becoming more serious about training, he started to follow my weekly sessions by writing down a specific running program both for Amanda and me. By that time, Amanda had already run several half-marathons and was focusing on 2011 London’s Marathon. It was October 2010. In November 2010, along with a good friend of mine, I completed the application form to run 2011 NYC´s Marathon. This was the final step to introduce running in my life. From November 2010 until May 2011, I focused on medium distance running, taking part in three different half-marathons: Getafe, Sevilla and Madrid, and making running part of my daily life. Four days a week of running was some kind of a military regime for me. It required discipline and effort, but I was motivated, and my will had no boundaries.
By that time, February 2011, I should say I was not going through the best period of my life. The last two years had been difficult for several reasons, and I was not able to grab myself into something that could motivate me enough to carry on. Even running, which in the near past had meant some kind of safety valve, was now rising my anxiety to extremes. June 20th, 2011, was set as the kick-off for my 20 weeks training programme focused on the 2011 NYC’s Marathon. That date had become an obsession. Running itself, my job, my personal existence, my emotional worries, etc. led me to reinitiate my “psycho” sessions. This is something I am not ashamed of. I am fully convinced that over 90% of first-world population should attend therapy.
Anyway, during these two months approx (April-June 2011) I decided to take running a bit easier, trying to enjoy those minutes over the sidewalks, and to forget about my GARMIN Forerunner 305, distances, timings, GPS and any other issues that could enhance my anxiety: just running for the pleasure of it. And I did it. I managed to transform those sessions into my time of thinking about me; about what had taken me to the point I was then, trying to figure out who I was and what direction I wanted to follow in my life. And, indeed, it was a very productive stage. Obviously, many of these questions I made to myself still have no answers, and certainly never will. But, at least, I started to manage my time and get control of myself.
Monday, June 20th, 2011, appeared on my Calendar. Twenty weeks ahead for a full marathon training programme, on a five-sessions-per-week basis. Enough time to become a finisher at the World’s Major Marathon by popularity and number of runners. And I started.
Initial sessions where fairly calmed: just the need to start getting familiar with the routine and to add kilometres and strengthen my legs. My first week ended with a 14km “long” distance run, making me tremendously proud of myself and crossing it on my calendar. First week, back in my pack! I continued with a second similar week, increasing the Sunday session up to a 19km run. I had run 21kms on the several half-marathons I previously mentioned, but never achieved this distance on a training session. During the week, I try to alternate ordinary running sessions (adding kilometres to my legs) with power and legs strengthening sessions. However, a common denominator of every week is that Sunday’s session is a MUST: the long distance session. This will contribute, in many ways, to getting used to suffering when you reach the famous “wall” (km 34 approx), increase your concentration and boost your mentality, feel the loneliness of your running, and strength your personal conviction and believe in yourself in a greater sense. I can certainly prove that after running two and a half hours, three hours or so, etc. ones trust and confidence grows potentially after each session.
Now I am facing week 17 of my programme. November 6th is the “D” day for my debut on a marathon. New York City, the chosen one. I have already passed the 36kms run, and it was tough, but amazingly rewarding. I have learnt to appreciate those things that I had not been aware of, including the pleasure of enjoying my own company (because, needless to say, I am a great guy!!! J). I am a better person mainly because I have learnt a lot about me. There has been time to reconsider my position with many people, some which may accept what I now think of them, or dislike it or, simply, don’t even care. I have analysed my life during these last two years, and I am starting to cleverly know what and who I do not want in it; in conclusion, I have grown and become more mature than I ever thought.
It’s a runners’ world.
Take care, fellas
L.-
PD: Please, take a look at this video. It’s in Spanish, but it’s worth a watch.
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