Hajni's got Determination and Focus

"There is in this world no greater force than the force of a man determined to rise."

When I'm working out, I enjoy taking in the scenery. I'm all about atmosphere - open roads, forests, by the water. It's medicinal. So maybe If I see a cute kid or bird, I say "cute kid" or "cool bird." If I look at the Danube River and get inspired (not because it's long, brown and the only bit of water around these parts but because it's cool looking against the bridges and I'm ocean deprived,) I will say to someone I'm running with "Beautiful day, huh?" or "I love this city!"

I'm an interactive type of gal, I guess. Yet today I worked out with the force of someone determined to rise above the scenery. It's never been a problem until today but now it looks like I have to change it up a bit.

Hajni's a university student who has done a sprint triathlon and has run a marathon. She's training now for a relay Ironman this summer. Whenever we meet at Margaret Island we usually stretch for a few minutes and talk about our week quite briefly. Then we are off on the padded lane that circles the island, joining other runners who keep different paces and tempos.

Maybe it's hard for me to be quiet when someone is right there - next to me. I mean, I don't have a problem with being quiet - I enjoy quiet times and I'm perfectly content to sit at home and read a book quietly or work out quietly. But when I get with other people, it's kind of like -- I want to know about them - I have this incessant need to want to chit-chat....atleast a little bit. But not everyone is made like me. And that's my point. I was throwing Hajni off focus and apparently me too...

Realizing she wasn't feeling very "chatty", I found a nice running pace and finished the run. When we met up again, she said, "If we are going to train together we can't talk. OK? And I noticed you aren't focused because you are looking around taking in the scenery. I think we might have the same speed, but you can get ahead of me and you need to do that because you can't hold back. If you want to be ready for race day you have to focus."

I said, "OK coach Hajni" and started teasing her for being so serious about it. But I get her point and I'll take her advice. It's true. I don't know what I'm getting into in July, and enthusiasm and inspiration will only get you so far, right? Well, after my initial shock at her forthrightness, I told her it was good advice as I do think she's right. My body is ready for more but my mind is comfortable with what has seemed like amazing strides to me. But I love this kid! I've been saying I want a coach and here she is.

I did have to set her straight on one thing. We're going to have to get together for coffee outside of our trainings so we can talk. She said, "OK. Of course." So that's good.

Other than a very ethereal idea of what it means to focus, I'm not really sure I know what it means or how to "be more focused" while training.