wherein I discuss endurance and patience. (or lack thereof)

The other day I heard on NPR about a study in which it was discovered that those who concquer the ability to wait for long term results are the ones who are successful in life.

my first thought: well, I'm screwed.

I'm not good at patience. At all.

I try. 

and I'm not talking about patience like a 3 year old waiting for their turn on the slide. That I can do.

I'm actually really good at waiting in lines.

Its the waited for things.

saving up money. waiting to see what happens. waiting to lose a couple of pounds.

I'm pretty instantanious. and if I want something, usually it consumes my mind until I get it.

ask my husband. it is something that drives him crazy about me.

so am I doomed to be Unsuccessful in my life?

and then there is endurance. 

Also something I lack.

and I think it goes hand in hand with patience, just in a different way. 

but both kind of involve waiting.

I am currently training for my second half marathon.

it is now less than 2 weeks away.

yesterday I ran 10 miles..and that is fine as the longest run I do.

Next week 8 as my taper, and then the race.

and here's the thing. I bang out the long runs fine.

but it starting thursday morning the nerves consume my mind.

I just want to get out and do it so that I am done for one more week until the next long run comes.

waiting until saturday morning is like torture.

and Saturday comes and I'm fine. 

I get through it.

but I have to tell you (and I don't think this is uncommon), until I hit 8 miles, I almost constantly think about how I can stop (when peter sagal or dimity and sarah are not distracting me with witty humor..)

So I'm not real great at endurance either.

and while I do finally consider myself a runner, I am most definitely without a doubt a weekend warrior.

if I'm honest I don't run much during the week. 

and I'm sure if I did I would do so much better and enjoy the saturdays a whole lot more.

and so these are flaws.

Ones that picked out easily and thought about often yesterday as I was pounding the trail.

so how to work on these?

don't know.

But recognizing them seems to be a good start.

and in two weeks I'll have a whole 13.1 miles to try and sort them out :)