KenZen - Running Alone Ain't So Lonely

Tom H's suggestion of KenZen reminded me of the time I was running based on a spiritual path. I missed those times and by no coincidence yesterday I was speaking about this very thing to my spiritual life coach.

So, the blog name KenZen was a communication from God through Tom. I have added Running alone ain't so lonely (really it ain't) and the blog will be based on The Book Running Home by Toby Estler.

I will have the intention each day as I set out on my run, to remember that the place I am headed for is the place that I am about to leave, that I am running home. It maybe a 5 mile easy run or 20 mile long run, either way my destination is home. I like to think of my soul's journey as the same. I am journeying home to the place we started from, the very heart of God (whatever that means for you). For some of us the journey maybe be longer than others; (I seem to be on the 7 year BQ plan), in the end, we will make it home.

This blog will focus on 4 significant elements for each run:

1. Qualities - each meditation is anchored with a quality such as courage, independence, or forgiveness. Running terms this lays out the course.
   
2. Quotations - Quotations will illuminate the quality. They will lead into the days meditation theme. Some will be from Toby's books others maybe a Baldo original but they all will have it's purpose to set up the run.
   
3. Meditations - There will be a daily meditation in running terms this will be the run itself.
   
4. Affirmations - I will use suggested affirmation to help keep me focused on the particular meditation that I will be using each day. In running terms, these are the fuel stations along the way, keeping me fresh and strong.
   

Training:
I will be using a tweaked, twisted, ramped up version of Pftzinger, Hudson and Hal 19 week muilti marathon program. Very similar to last marathon cycle except the mileage is bumped up to peak at 77. I will also be adding some MP specific runs on Sat followed by LSD runs on Sunday in along with keeping LSD progression runs on some alternating Sunday Long runs.

Goals:
My marathon PR is 3:27:55 (2010) at NCR trail race in MD. PR for HM is 1:36:54 (2010) Brooklyn Prospect Park. BQ needed is 3:10 (Ain't happening this year). My marathon progression has been 2007 -4:18, 2008 -3:53, 2009 -3:36, 2010 -3:27 I feel based on my recent training and race times I am capable of sub 3:20.

1. Run 3:22 at Hartford Marathon (Oct 15)
   
2. Run 3:19:xx at Philadelphia Marathon (Nov 20)
   
3. Run 1:34:xx at Rock n' Roll Philly HM (Sept. 18)
   

Below is this weeks training schedule. I will post at the start of each week in the same fashion. I hope you can join me on this 19 week journey and find some inspiration for yourself if not through my running then through my running home.

Kenny, good to see your new blog and glad I could help on the naming. Looks like you've got an aggressive plan for this cycle and one that should prep you for the times you are shooting for. Now go run

Quality: (layoutof the course).
Today's intention is turning fear into excitement.

Quotation: (Preparation)
“For all of us, the miracle isn’t that we finish, the miracle is that we have
the courage to start.” – John Bingham

Meditation (Runitself):
5:30am - It was a hot one already 75 degrees 85% humidity. On tap was 8
miles @ GA w/7x 100m strides. Ran with water as needed today and considered
today a successful run. Nailed my GA pace of 7:57 w/ HR in my zone 162 on avg.
Considering weather this was very good run and legs felt fairly smooth during
the strides. Did 8 strides by accident
but so what.

During the run I felt connected to God with complete clarity
of my intention and purpose of today’s run.
My mind felt clear and quite excited to move on home and continue my
day.

Affirmation: (Fuel stations along way)
With faithful eyes I am excited and curious what the day will
bring.

Nice run today in the heat. I like that quote.

Kenny, the only thing I hate more than running in the morning is running in the heat/humidity. You're a better man than I!

Nice run given the crummy conditions!

The name certainly fits the blog. The new blog and your training cycle are both off to a good start.

I like your blog name. Best of luck with the physical running as well as the spiritual / metaphysical journey too. You've improved your marathon times quite a bit from 4:18! Keep up the great work and good luck!

Again, you step it up a notch by progressing from Quotes of the Day to an entire system that brings together the physical and the metaphysical. And nope, running alone ain't lonely at all.

Kenny - great goals - and realistic. You can and will achieve your BQ, be it this year or next. Don't you love running in a sauna?

Nice job on beginning this blog. You'll take down the 3:20.

Hey Kenny. I always enjoy your posts and your quotations!

And I run alone too....without music. My friends ask me if I get bored on long runs and I honestly don't. I just think a lot!

Good luck on going sub 3:20!

Jim Lentz wrote:Nice run today in the heat. I like that quote.

I will keep them coming!

mul21 wrote:Kenny, the only thing I hate more than running in the morning is running in the heat/humidity. You're a better man than I!

I love the morning runs can't stand early evening runs!

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Nice run given the crummy conditions!

Thanks!

Seth Harrison wrote:The name certainly fits the blog. The new blog and your training cycle are both off to a good start.

It's not the blog that makes the man it is the man that makes the blog. Whatever the heavens that means.

Penelope wrote:I like your blog name. Best of luck with the physical running as well as the spiritual / metaphysical journey too. You've improved your marathon times quite a bit from 4:18! Keep up the great work and good luck!

Thanks! I am visualizing 3:19 even when working!

Mike MacLellan wrote:Again, you step it up a notch by progressing from Quotes of the Day to an entire system that brings together the physical and the metaphysical. And nope, running alone ain't lonely at all.

Thank Toby Estler I am just the messenger.

John Kilpatrick wrote:Kenny - great goals - and realistic. You can and will achieve your BQ, be it this year or next. Don't you love running in a sauna?

BQ will happen I will let you know when!

Alex Kubacki wrote:Nice job on beginning this blog. You'll take down the 3:20.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Peg Coover wrote:Hey Kenny. I always enjoy your posts and your quotations!

And I run alone too....without music. My friends ask me if I get bored on long runs and I honestly don't. I just think a lot!

Good luck on going sub 3:20!

Peg I am with you 100%. I have run with some guys on the trails on and off the past few Sunday's and as much as they are nice I find running alone so much more peaceful. The talking just throws me off. I am going to ween my way out of that situation.

Quality:
Preparation with today's intention on letting god guide me.

Quotations:
"If you think it's going to rain, it will" - Clint Eastwood

Meditation:
When did 73 degrees w/ 75% humidity feel cool? Well coming off some hot
days and high humidity today was somewhat of a break (just slightly).
Had some lower back pain last night and although it felt a bit better
this morning it turned what could have been a great run into an ok run.
Ran scheduled 11 miles nailed my pace & HR was in the middle of the
zone @ 156 took a few miles for back to loosen but never felt 100%. I
did find my rhythm the last few miles which was nice.

Thankfully I used today's affirmation accordingly and God brought me a successful run despite the back pain.

Affirmation:
I am enthusiastically opening to the loving support and guidance of God in every area of my life.

Results:
Back pain faded as the miles gone by and I while running I was inspired to come back home and clean up the kitchen and family room to give my wife a bit of break this morning. I also used the affirmation every 20-30 seconds and especially when I saw my HR rising out of my zone. This seemed to ground me and bring me back to comfortable long run pace and HR. The results are below.

Nice running and I'm sure your wife appreciates the help cleaning, too! I hope your back pain gets resolved soon.

Another nice run, Kenny.

Julie wrote:Nice running and I'm sure your wife appreciates the help cleaning, too! I hope your back pain gets resolved soon.

She does of course! headed to chiro later today i don't foresee it being an issue hurts mainly when I get up from sitting but once walking it feels better. Did it at gym last night.

Kenny I like the new blog and what you laid out in your opening post. The runs are looking good and oh how sweet helping with the cleaning around the house. Hey by the way take care of that back! I thought I just a had a little minor thing going on this past winter and it was something that ended up being a pain in my butt.

Kenny, I love the new blog and I love how you put really cool quotes of inspiration and an affirmation within your posts. I hope you keep doing that, because I love reading them. Great job on your running. I'm really looking forward to following your training!!!!

Schuey wrote:Kenny I like the new blog and what you laid out in your opening post. The runs are looking good and oh how sweet helping with the cleaning around the house. Hey by the way take care of that back! I thought I just a had a little minor thing going on this past winter and it was something that ended up being a pain in my butt.

I am watching it but it is hard to get my face to look at my ass.

Mrs. Schuey wrote:Kenny, I love the new blog and I love how you put really cool quotes of inspiration and an affirmation within your posts. I hope you keep doing that, because I love reading them. Great job on your running. I'm really looking forward to following your training!!!!

Thank yo so much. My intention and commitment is to continue for the entire 19 week cycle.

Quality:
Creativity. Today's intention is to create success through the divine power.

Quotation:
"The deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation. You are not discovering yourself, but creating
yourself anew. Seek therefore, not to find out Who You Are, but seek to determine Who You Want to Be." NDW

Meditation:
5:30am - Upon rising this morning my back felt 80% better so I was excited to get out and run in this most delicious weather. 64 degrees low humidity with the sun just peeking out of the solid blue sky. Schedule calls for 10 miles today (6 in am , 4 pm). I started running and immediately chanted my affirmation for today. Ended up running 6 ata quick recovery pace of 9:06 and avg HR of 140. This is at the high
end of my recovery zone but above zone on last few miles, but I ran on perceived effort and it felt great. I probably will see a slower run this evening.

Affirmation:
I am creating my success by flexing the muscles of my divine power.

Results:
Before the run my reading talked about creating a collage of running goals (Lisa's came to mind) and I took this idea on the road with me and I ended up feeling a strong pull towards doing this and for the first 5 miles my mind drifted from the collage to the peace of the outdoors and the pleasant feeling of a comfortable stride with very little pain in my back, then the last mile two things came to me first I saw a black crow sitting high up a roof top where both sides meet eating peacefully some food she must have picked up and I though look at this creature effortlessly balancing itself on such a small area of the roof while it nourishes it's body. This reminded me that life is about balance and ifwhat you choose to do to balance your life is best done without a struggle.

The other creative idea was to create a family collage of the things we want to do or achieve together.

Upcoming:
Tomorrow calls for 10 mile hill repeats on TM. Depending on back I may replace this with a GA run and some strides. Tomorrow Quality is
ATTENTIVENESS.

Nice run, TM runs are sounded better and better with the heat. I hope tomorrow's goes well. I used to have a collage of sorts on the back of my bedroom door but that was a few yrs ago (when I was single and I don't know if my husband would want any more running stuff hanging up).

Kenny, you've got a solid running plan. Not just the miles, but all that surrounds it with your thinking, affirmations, etc. I like the way you find things on your run that contribute to your running philosophy as well as your life - such as that which seeing the crow suggested to you. I do believe it will take you exactly where you want to go in many ways.

Tom H wrote:Kenny, you've got a solid running plan. Not just the miles, but all that surrounds it with your thinking, affirmations, etc. I like the way you find things on your run that contribute to your running philosophy as well as your life - such as that which seeing the crow suggested to you. I do believe it will take you exactly where you want to go in many ways.

Thanks Tom. I have to stay steadfast to continue this the things that are the best for us are usually the first thing we let go of. Odd that it works that way.

I'm impressed with the runs and enjoy the quotes. Glad your back is better too. We are looking at a little break from the heat in GA as well - it is welcomed!!!