Can you teach an old dog new tricks?
In my quest to adapt to my “child” free life in Hong Kong, I have taken the very brave (silly?) step of getting a Running Coach. I have never in my life had a trainer; I have always been the one training others. I enjoy the challenge of watching my clients get fitter, stronger and more confident. I like being the one calling the shots and telling them what to do. Their puffing, panting and pained expressions inspire me to push them that little bit further. No pain no gain…right??
Well now the shoe is on the other foot. Twice a week I am voluntarily putting my hand up for 2.5 hours of intense training. I have been a runner since I was in my late teens, but I have never really pushed myself. Every training program I have ever followed has included hill repeats and speed sessions. For some reason my eyes glaze over when it comes to those days and I find myself adding long slow runs instead. Occasionally I will throw in a treadmill tempo session. I will run a bit faster for a couple of minutes, but when my heart rates starts getting up over my comfortable 140 bpm, then I reduce the speed and recover. I don’t want to hurt too much after all.
My trainer however, has very different ideas to what level of pain I need to feel. This week we did a stair session. After a very enjoyable 4km warm up, (which was run at my pace), we then did some stretching and yoga. This part of my session is great, but alas it doesn’t last.
I have decided all trainers have a sadistic side (yes, even me). Not being content with the steep steps near my apartment, my trainer found the steepest, longest set of stairs I have ever seen. When I stood at the bottom and looked up, I couldn’t see the top! Surely he wasn’t serious? I found out very quickly that he was!
The first few sets, we walked up slowly, getting my legs used to the climbing. We then did a few sets running up the stairs taking them one step at a time. Obviously not content with my gasping for air and burning legs, my trainer then made me leap up the stairs two at a time and repeat it four times. I felt like a very unfit mountain goat.
By this stage I was a lather of sweat. My legs were like jelly and my heart was beating so loudly I could barely hear the next set of instructions. The locals walking VERY slowly up the same set of steps were giving me sympathetic looks and shaking their heads.
When my trainer said, “so now we have done our stair warm up, its time to get serious”, it was almost the undoing of me. Are you allowed to cry in a training session? I’m sure I have never pushed my clients to that point, and if I have I sincerely apologise.
There was nothing else for it, I couldn’t give in, I had to dig deep and find the strength to continue. By the end of the session I had worked harder than I ever had before. I had pushed my body to new limits and once I had cooled down, recovered and could breathe again, I felt great.
Each training session I do, I am stepping outside my comfort zone and I am beginning to feel the difference. I’m learning that I am capable of more than I thought, and that my body will adapt to the load I put on it. It is empowering and encouraging…perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks!.
There is a great quote by Neale Donald Walsch,
“Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone”
I think he has hit the nail on the head. We are all capable of greatness, and it’s only by pushing the boundaries that we discover what we can achieve.
Have a think about how you can step out of your comfort zone today. You might be surprised at what you find there.
(However if it’s a long, steep set of stairs, then walk away very quickly!)
