The Big F Project: Find Your Own Pace

I never found a joy for running/jogging like some have. Nor do I desire it's health benefits enough to "power through" and run anyway. This is odd though because I was (and still am...) good at it. I remember in middle school PE class we had to run once a week, cross country for about a mile or so. Out of a group of 30-40 pre-teens I normally stuck with the top five "finishers" each time. In high school I was encouraged by the coaches to join the cross country team. I guess they saw something I was too distracted to notice. Needless to say I did not join. As an adult I've gone running with some friends who do "have the bug" to see if I could catch it from them and maybe start a new routine. It never did stick. But this Blog isn't about running, and neither is my point.

I learned some good lessons from my attempts to become a runner. A lot of them apply to my hobbies of tinkering and turning wrenches. These are the ones I've employed most recently (and since the last post):

1) Find your own pace.

I normally wouldn't run more than 3 miles at a time. But a few times I went running with a friend who trained as a marathoner. We would do no less than 5 miles. I had to first ease back from my normal pace to match his. Then I could find a comfortable rhythm and settle in. This way I didn't burn out half way through nor did I expect I would keep up with a seasoned veteran.

There have been a lot of life changes and squeezing of the schedule over the past two years. I have had to adapt my pace to these new constraints. I'm lucky enough to have a very understanding wife who knows who she married. She has served a crucial role in finding the balance of "garage time" and "everything-else time." With the right pace I can set reasonable expectations and meet them without neglecting other important parts of my life.

2) Push for the 2nd wind.

It's a common topic in conversations about long distance running. You reach the "wall" where your efforts seem futile. Continuing your efforts seems impossible. You have two options; give up or push on in hopes of a second wind. Growing familiar, even comfortable with this process is where real stamina comes from. I have wanted to give up so many times, not just on the Big F or other projects I've discussed here, but on the hobby altogether! But I'm reminded of my motivation. I catch a few extra breaths and press on until I break through to that 2nd wind. Which by the way is a little misrepresentative... it's more a 145th wind!

3) Cut the excess.

When you're getting ready for a run you take as little along with you as possible to maximize your efforts. I would leave everything behind that I didn't need for running. No phone, no keys, no wallet, no water bottle, no picnic basket.. just shoes on my feet and enough clothing to suit the standards for modesty.

I have had to do this with some other hobbies and activities that I enjoyed. When it came down to it,
"garage time" was higher priority for me. Some things just didn't make the cut. As my free time began to dwindle more and more it also became more valuable and some of the other hobbies just weren't as important.

Ironically writing on this blog (and being active in the forums) was one of the things in the most recent string of cuts. I realized I had time to either work in the garage or write about working in the garage but not both. I've decided to try to start working it back in when there's time. For instance I am currently waiting on some parts to arrive for the 4.3 V6 (...oh, right. So there is now a '92 Chevy S10 in the fleet! More to come on that) and the forecast shows triple digits for the next 10 days with night time temps no lower than 80º F... I'll be inside as much as possible. So writing this post isn't steeling time from wrenching. Hooray!

And now the obligatory pictures of stuff: