What it takes to be successful and not fired!

Saturday, July 28, 2012 · Mike Davis

The norm for me is 5K training or marathon training plans, but right now I am all over the place working with Jaime to understand her reasons for prolonged running injuries, helping Patty become more balanced and training Sandra for the Manchester marathon this fall. All three are very different, but require much of the same training and I believe their ultimate success depends on the discipline that is required.

All three of my clients came seeking professional training to accomplish something that they felt was missing or lacking direction. Am I that miracle worker that knows something that will insure they accomplish what they have yet too? I wish that were the case, but that’s not me, instead they came to someone that understands running, fitness and discipline. Some coaches and programs pretty much just say run, run and run some more, believing that to be successful all you have to do is log miles on a regular basis. That is not me, no I strongly believe that it doesn’t matter if you are training for a 5K or a marathon; to be successful you need to one run, two be totally fit and three you must be disciplined. Not necessarily in that order.

I worry about each of these clients for various reasons as I am not sure individually they each have the discipline to accomplish their goals. I know I may get myself fired by one or possibly all three as I believe on occasion they read my rambling. I will proceed gently and hopefully with some encouragement for them and anyone that reads this. Honestly I am not some miracle worker that can watch you run and turn you into a marathon finisher. No, I am more the person that spends time understanding my client and looking for weaknesses. From there I try to address the weakness, tinker where makes sense and instill the discipline required to be successful. 5K training is different than half marathon training, but to be successful it requires the same disciplines. Yes half marathon training may require a greater level, but to be a strong runner at any distance, discipline is required.

I am going to pick on Jaime for a moment as her problem with discipline is twofold and many may be able to relate. The first is that she’s a career woman who has to travel quite a bit and the traveling affects her training. We have discussed this challenge and in the end it comes down to her willingness to work out even a reduced capacity. She admits that becoming more a morning person might help her manage her being on the road. Her second and as difficult discipline issue is her alpha male desire. Jaime needs to slow herself down and think quality over quantity. I understand her mentality as I am very much like her and strive to do more each time. Instead, I want Jaime to be patient and focused on form, not quantity. More often than not we sacrifice quality (form) for quantity and the actual gain is minimal as well as increasing our chances of injury. Jaime has signed on for 6 months and her running health will be a challenge, but my toughest challenge will keep her disciplined and patient.

My other two clients both have a great deal of desire, but like Jaime they need to balance their schedules versus their goals. I have great faith in both but I fully understand the challenges that we face day to day. I have even told one of my clients that I will fire them if I feel that they are not committing the time to their training plan. I am not interested in collecting a fee if my services aren’t fully being utilized. Discipline is critical in working with me whether it be individuals or a group of 40 runners.

I have no doubt that my current group of clients is determined to succeed but determination alone won’t lead them to success. A good training plan and discipline are both equally important when you have an ultimate goal. I can provide a good training plan and then I insist on the discipline. I just got an email from Jaime and she gave me the update of her run last night. A bit fast, but she’s trying to slow down and be disciplined! She’s getting the message!!