I know marathon training season is in full swing when not only are my legs sore and I eat everything in sight, but my thought process starts to change. I begin focusing mental energy on longer term thinking in both my personal life and my business. I start setting my sights on the 300 meter targets instead of the 25's and 50's. What a wonderful reward for marathon training. Outside of the physical benefits of aerobic/anaerobic/resistance training, the carryover effect into your psyche and hopefully into performance is pretty neat.
Another added bonus of completing a marathon in Ohio is that deer season immediately follows. (At least if you're a bow hunter. If you're not a bow hunter I would advise going to www.huntersfriend.com and purchasing a bow package. Archery season is 4 months long and gun season is 1 week and an additional weekend). Sitting in a tree stand all day deer hunting is harder than it sounds. Being quiet in a tree all day by yourself can be quite challenging. Running all of those training miles with no music, strictly listening to my thoughts, is great training for deer season.
Being out in the woods during deer season in Ohio is an amazing experience. Being able to very consciously go through the cycle of a day along with nature is something special that I hope everyone can experience at least once in life. Deer season provides a whole different life outlook for me. I get reflective and introspective in an extremely positive way. I think the beauty of the Hocking Hills brings me into a positive space where I become thankful for all of the twists and turns that brought me to where I am. A realization that the little things in life turn out to be the big things.