(Re)Training begins
A frustrating week comes to a strong close
If you’d like to donate to the St. Jude’s Children Hospital ahead of my run in the 2022 Chicago Marathon, you can do so here. I reached 25% of my goal over the weekend and I continue to appreciate the support. Thank you.
By the time Tuesday’s run was finished, I realized I was not yet used to waking up that early. 11 more miles in the book, bringing my two-day mileage to 20 — more total than I had run in three of the last five weeks. But it wasn’t the miles that were getting to me. My body felt great. Sure, my legs were sore, but I had done my stretching, and I would do plenty of rolling. My body was going to be fine.
I just wasn’t used to waking up as the sun came up on weekdays anymore, let alone sometime in the 4:00 hour like I did on Friday and Saturday. It showed Tuesday and throughout much of the week. Throw in some heat and humidity, plus a bit of extra excitement with training starting, and it was a recipe for harder runs.
The excitement of the previous week gave way to frustration. I had been counting down to this week for months, and this is how it starts? How long would it last?
The log:
Sunday: Rest
Monday: 9 miles, peaking with 4 harder ones in the middle
Tuesday: 11 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: 9 miles
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 15 miles
Total: 54 miles
A funny thing happens every time I begin a new batch of training: It seems way harder than it should. I immediately start wondering if I’ll need to dial back my goals for race day. Eventually, I’m reminded of previous cycles, and I calm myself down1. Sometimes this happens when I look at old runs. I’ll inevitably scroll through Strava, looking back at previous iterations of day 1, day 2, etc., and I’ll remember, “oh yeah, it’s not like I began 2020 ready to run a 3:58 full.” Hell, when I got going in June of 2021, I wasn’t even dreaming of 3:25. I wanted to improve upon 2020, but it was the training itself that showed me what was possible.
Other times, a fellow runner will reach out, pointing out something my brain just isn’t recognizing. This past week, it was a reader named Jeff, who thankfully reminded me that my body is getting used to the heat and humidity again. Such a simple reminder, one I had in the back of my head, but needed help bringing it to the forefront. Thanks Jeff!
Throw in more miles in week 1 than ever before, plus the pressure I put on myself to reach specific goals, and it’s no wonder my Wednesday and Friday runs — the “easiest” of the week — left me more frustrated and fatigued than I should have been.
And yet! I got in every run and was never close to tapping out. As I’ve evolved as a runner, one of the things that still catches me off guard is my own personal definition of a “disappointing” run. No longer is a hard run about going out for eight and stopping at six. It’s not turning a speed workout into an easy workout. It’s noticing my heart rate is a bit higher than I’d like at mile four (or mile one), and being frustrated that I won’t be able to stay in the HR zone threshold I want to.
This happened almost every day in week 1, but looking back on last year, it was more of the same. You know how you’ll hear some team talk about how “far away” they are at the start of a training camp, or early in the season? As a kid, when I heard athletes or coaches say that, I kind of laughed it off. “But you just won the title a year ago, and so many of the same pieces are back. Why can’t you just pick up from where you left off?” Oops. I won’t be winning a Super Bowl anytime soon, but I know I’ll be ready to go in October in a way that I’m not today.
By the time my 15-miler rolled around on Saturday, I went out with the understanding that it would be a bit harder than the same mileage was during the spring. No longer are the temps in the high 40s, or the humidity nonexistent. Mental preparation, so important all year round, is even more vital during June, July, and August. It’s not just the miles, it’s the perception (real or otherwise) that they’ll be harder. My HR will be higher, my miles will be slower2, and I’ll need to remind myself of those facts in the time leading up to the run.
Sure enough, Saturday rolled around and I finished with an unusual sense of accomplishment for week 1 of 18; day 7 of 126. In ways, 15 miles felt easier than the five from Friday. The brain is tricky, but going out with confidence, and understanding of what was to come, made it a bit easier for me. Only 17 more weeks left!
I’ll get to where I want to go. See you on the trails.
Note to self, set a reminder for this to happen when training starts up in 2023.
This is the part that seems to get to me the most. I got so much better throughout the winter and spring, that my current times feel like a step back. But they’re not. Running in the heat is just that much harder.
Josh, I think I just had a flash back when you talked about the first week of a training plan. I know it’s all mental but man is the first week always seem like a bear! It shouldn’t…heck, I train almost every day of the year but there is something to how hard that first week of a plan can be, LOL. Good luck with the heat…did my first post Ironman run this morning and even at 6am the heat and humidity were nasty. Luckily the body is almost back to 100% and proof for me that my fitness has vastly improve since last years IM. Good luck with the heat…these next weeks will be tough but this is where real gains are made. Cheers and Happy Running! Oh, and thanks for the shout out this week!