Standing Out in the Crowd – Part 2 of the Eric Fleisher Story
The last time we sat down and talked to Eric, he was completely new to the running world and a bit apprehensive about the task at hand: having his training progress followed and then shared with the world. He was also uncertain about the actual commitment needed to accomplish his goal: successfully completing The Nike+ Human Race 10K yet, he was driven to put down the remote and lace up his sneakers.
Now in his second month of training, Eric has a bit of a swagger as he drops off his bag at RUN NYC and begins lightly stretching prior to entering Central Park. He has the look of an individual determined to prove something, both to himself and to individuals who might think that running is too difficult. Standing around waiting to start the workout for the evening, Eric jokes around and laughs with his fellow runners he has met through RUN NYC. He appears relaxed, knowing that whatever the workout will be, his training will allow him to conquer it. He knows that every mile is preparing him to achieve his goal.
After the run, I had the opportunity to share a subway ride with Eric and we casually talked about his training, current goal, and the concept of remaining motivated. What I learned from our short ride was that Eric has not only learned a lot about running but more about himself throughout this process. Eric claims that his training has greatly improved, noticing that his training time has significantly decreased while his ability to cover great distances has improved. The most important aspect of his training that he shared was that his mental outlook has improved. He's finding running more enjoyable and can relax during a long run.
With a smile on his face (a permanent fixture when he talks about running anymore), he quickly acknowledged that he still has a lot to learn. He humbly admitted that he understands the meaning of limitations more and more with each run and that he can't just go out a run a certain distance without properly training. With this, he brought up his hopes for the Nike+ Human Race and stated that his goal changed since beginning this journey a month ago. What was once a mere hope of finishing the race has turned into a full-blown time oriented goal: possibly a 9:30 pace?
Throughout the entire process, Eric has not lost his motivation. While some weeks he has not been able to train as much as he wanted, he knows that every bit he does helps get him closer to his goal.
Before exiting the subway, on this way to ice down any ailing muscles, Eric shared with me a bit of encouragement that could be used for new runners competing in the Nike+ Human Race. He stated that no matter how many people finish before him or after him, he is accomplishing his goal. He knows that, regardless of the turnout, he will cover the same distance as the other 10,000 people racing, joining a group of runners to make history. Over the past two months, he has learned lessons about running, the joy of sharing the experience with others, and most of all, about himself.
With less than two months left to the Nike+ Human Race 10K, Eric will continue monitoring his training and will continue sharing with us his insight about what it takes to become a runner and accomplish a goal. Stay tuned!
Now in his second month of training, Eric has a bit of a swagger as he drops off his bag at RUN NYC and begins lightly stretching prior to entering Central Park. He has the look of an individual determined to prove something, both to himself and to individuals who might think that running is too difficult. Standing around waiting to start the workout for the evening, Eric jokes around and laughs with his fellow runners he has met through RUN NYC. He appears relaxed, knowing that whatever the workout will be, his training will allow him to conquer it. He knows that every mile is preparing him to achieve his goal.
After the run, I had the opportunity to share a subway ride with Eric and we casually talked about his training, current goal, and the concept of remaining motivated. What I learned from our short ride was that Eric has not only learned a lot about running but more about himself throughout this process. Eric claims that his training has greatly improved, noticing that his training time has significantly decreased while his ability to cover great distances has improved. The most important aspect of his training that he shared was that his mental outlook has improved. He's finding running more enjoyable and can relax during a long run.
With a smile on his face (a permanent fixture when he talks about running anymore), he quickly acknowledged that he still has a lot to learn. He humbly admitted that he understands the meaning of limitations more and more with each run and that he can't just go out a run a certain distance without properly training. With this, he brought up his hopes for the Nike+ Human Race and stated that his goal changed since beginning this journey a month ago. What was once a mere hope of finishing the race has turned into a full-blown time oriented goal: possibly a 9:30 pace?
Throughout the entire process, Eric has not lost his motivation. While some weeks he has not been able to train as much as he wanted, he knows that every bit he does helps get him closer to his goal.
Before exiting the subway, on this way to ice down any ailing muscles, Eric shared with me a bit of encouragement that could be used for new runners competing in the Nike+ Human Race. He stated that no matter how many people finish before him or after him, he is accomplishing his goal. He knows that, regardless of the turnout, he will cover the same distance as the other 10,000 people racing, joining a group of runners to make history. Over the past two months, he has learned lessons about running, the joy of sharing the experience with others, and most of all, about himself.
With less than two months left to the Nike+ Human Race 10K, Eric will continue monitoring his training and will continue sharing with us his insight about what it takes to become a runner and accomplish a goal. Stay tuned!
