29 and 30 March Training

Here's the view on the path from yesterday:

And here's the view from this morning:

In the first one, you can see the trees in the second one just a little further ahead. This is my evidence that I did in fact run further today than yesterday in spite of what the Cardiotrainer app on my phone says. According to it I went 7.75 km yesterday, but only 7.5 today. Today's training time was 1:04, yesterday's 1:05. Today's pace 7.0, yesterday's was 7.1.

I was distinctly annoyed that it misrepresented what I knew to be different, and by God, I had evidence of it on that self-same phone. I should know better, but there are some lessons that we just have to learn over and over again. Maybe one day I'll catch on quicker or let it go more easily.

You see, I know not to trust the app. It gets my pace wrong all the time while I'm running. At first, the calm voice would say, 'Pace...9...point....4....kilometres per hour,' and I'd be deeply pleased. There was no way that I was travelling at that pace. I was bobbing along at my usual relatively slow shuffle, but I was still cheered by the prospect that I was going faster. Of course, when it would discern that my pace had dropped to a paltry 3.4 kilometres per hour, the argument would start in my head, dismissing the low reading as of course wrong even as I felt my heart fall just a little bit.

I love this technology and love that it has helped me to track my progress and see how far I've come. But I need to remember to trust my senses, trust my vision, and trust my heart rather than believe what I know cannot be true, even if it comes from a usually reliable source. I've learned not to pay attention to the voice as it tells me my pace except when I know it's in sync with what I know. 'Pace....7....point....5....kilometres per hour' my friendly fellow intones, and I think, 'yes, that's about right! Good for you!'

The truth of it is that what matters isn't what the app tells me I've done. What matters is that I lace up my shoes, put on my hat and head out the door. What matters is that I put foot in front of foot. What matters is that I keep my eye on the prize that is out there for me to claim: a successful run, successful fundraising for a cause that matters, and getting healthier in the meantime.

Healthier, but not overly so. I rewarded myself with a scone and yummy latte at Tidetables:

And in a little while, I'm off to have pizza with my pal (and the new Committee chair at church), Alex somewhere in these buildings (which happen to be across from where I turned around today):