Keeping the faith

Another beautiful Terrigal dawn.

Lots of information is coming from the authorities in Australia indicating the imposed COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are paying off.  We can all read the charts, and certainly the number of new infections and deaths has significantly declined.  This information encourages everybody to believe that the authorities do know what they are doing and to have faith in their judgments of what will yield the desired results in the future.  If infections and deaths seemed out of control, anxiety and stress would grow and we would all be second-guessing the authorities' tactics.

I'm having a bit of a struggle keeping the faith with my training plan and running capabilities as I try to get fit again.  I ran my furthest for three weeks this morning, 9.7km, but none of it was enjoyable or satisfying.  Nothing seems to be working as it should.  My back, hips and quads hurt.  I felt heavy and uncoordinated, and very deflated to watch people who appeared to be running very slowly passing by and leaving me behind.  What has happened to me?  Perhaps a running-abused 69-year-old body should have more rest and lower ambitions?  Every run seems to produce new niggles and little progress.

My faith that increasing training mileage, if I can get over the injuries, will eventually lead to satisfying fitness is being tested more than ever.  My only remaining tactic to ward off total despair, is to tell myself that I was reasonably fit just 12 months ago, having a reasonably good race in the 50km Alpine Ascent in the Snowy Mountains.  I believe that potential is defined by your best performances, and it's hard to believe that my capability has declined more than a percent or two in one year.  I just have to have faith in what has worked in the past and trust that it will eventually deliver the results I crave.