This post will be much like the last: hurried and riddled with highlights of struggle.
First the good: My second 16 mile run, well, actually 16.5, was stellar. The last 3 miles were hard, but doable. I was not run down or unable to perform the day's work post-run. Success!
The week of Christmas, however, I missed/skipped all my short and medium runs! I decided to think of my lack of running as a "rest" and determined that I would run my planned long run of
another 16 miles on Friday. It was a miserable run. My body ached (I think from inactivity and sitting so much.) Every step hurt. I felt lackluster and unfocussed. Pain would be in one ankle, then a shin or a knee, and then settle in my left hip. After a while the pain would start its travels in my body again, eventually settling back in the hip. I walked at every mile marker, taking in fuel or fluids. Typically, I walk a bit every 15 minutes to refuel or hydrate. Just a 3-4 minute change in that pattern signaled defeat. My breathing never got to its rhythm, every mantra felt off beat. I doubted my ability to do this at all, thought a lot about quitting, not doing the marathon. What the hell had I done telling everyone, 'I am a marathoner"? Crap. I tried hard to overcome my negativity, but all my efforts fell flat. I ran 4.5 miles out and 4.5 back, each was grueling and I never settled into a pace or zone. I returned to my car after 9 hard miles. I felt failure, but in all honesty, was glad to not be running.
During my previous 16 miler, I happily told myself, 'Nancy, if you can run 16 miles you can run 26!" One week later, all I could see was the hugeness of 10 more miles atop 16!
Where does one go after all that? After a week of missed short runs, one horrid long run?
To the local running store, of course! I needed shoes and I needed encouragement.
I was greeted warmly by Shelby, the owner. To my delight, he greeted me by name and with a hug! Thank you! He kindly indulged me in discussions about training. He is a Team in Training coach as well as a very accomplished athlete. He’s a wealth of insight, experience, and knowledge.
I wish I could just replay the conversation, or quote it word for word. Not that all of you care to read the ittybitty details, but I suspect that I will need it in the remaining weeks of training. Here are the highlights:
~ "6 weeks out from race day?” he asked… “just a few weeks before you taper? You are right on track. ” My bad run, difficulty in focus and performance is not at all uncommon at this juncture in marathon training. He said when coaching this is the time when the pep talks rev up. Relief!
~ It's the weekly consistent miles that really matter in terms of training more than the longest of the long runs. He gave examples of runners - some who did weekly long runs of 20 miles but no other running and those who packed in regular short and medium runs but never ran more than 13 miles in a long run. The latter *always* ran a better marathon.
~ Rest is what makes the body stronger, not the miles. It’s crucial to training as the running is.
Running longer than 75 minutes is also a critical part of training. After 75 minutes the body is being trained to tap into the ‘unlimited’ fuel source, fat.
~ You can’t train your body to deal with ‘the wall.’ It’s there. Fueling, hydrating, training, rest, etc… those factors play into how you hit the wall, but you can not hit the wall repeatedly and teach the body to do any different. You training yourself in terms of how to prepare and avoid hitting it hard. That training is not done at mile 20. It’s done in practicing nutrition, hydration, fueling in early miles, etc.
~ He reiterated what I have read in several books, it is not necessary to run a 20 miler before race day. In fact he said that in coaching Team in Training, their longest runs are 16 miles. Everyone finishes.
~ He was kind enough to share with me his experience of running marathons fit vs. unfit. He said that no matter his training preparation, it’s those last 6 miles that are hard. Training gets you to 20, your mind gets you thru the last 6 miles.
~ He encouraged me to tackle the last 6 miles in 2 mile chunks with the reward of walking the aid station waiting for me.
I think that about sums it up. It was his kindness, his time, his encouragement that meant so much.
I left the store and ran my weekly short run of 5miles at my normal pace, perhaps a few seconds faster. Today I run 8. Wednesday, 5. Friday. Hmmm. I remain undecided. Shall I go for 16 miles and tell the distance who is boss, and move on from that distance feeling accomplished and able? Should I move my 18 mile runs (of which I plan 2) to the last 2 long run slots and forego my planned 20 miler?
Oh! I ordered and paid for my shoes and asked how to incorporate them. 1st week wear them on alternating short/medium runs. Next week switch to alternating medium/long runs. 3rd week all runs in new shoes. It’s a plan.
I lost a pound! Merry Christmas to me!
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!
Blessings to all,
Nancy
The hesitant but recommitted Marathoner.
First the good: My second 16 mile run, well, actually 16.5, was stellar. The last 3 miles were hard, but doable. I was not run down or unable to perform the day's work post-run. Success!
The week of Christmas, however, I missed/skipped all my short and medium runs! I decided to think of my lack of running as a "rest" and determined that I would run my planned long run of
another 16 miles on Friday. It was a miserable run. My body ached (I think from inactivity and sitting so much.) Every step hurt. I felt lackluster and unfocussed. Pain would be in one ankle, then a shin or a knee, and then settle in my left hip. After a while the pain would start its travels in my body again, eventually settling back in the hip. I walked at every mile marker, taking in fuel or fluids. Typically, I walk a bit every 15 minutes to refuel or hydrate. Just a 3-4 minute change in that pattern signaled defeat. My breathing never got to its rhythm, every mantra felt off beat. I doubted my ability to do this at all, thought a lot about quitting, not doing the marathon. What the hell had I done telling everyone, 'I am a marathoner"? Crap. I tried hard to overcome my negativity, but all my efforts fell flat. I ran 4.5 miles out and 4.5 back, each was grueling and I never settled into a pace or zone. I returned to my car after 9 hard miles. I felt failure, but in all honesty, was glad to not be running.During my previous 16 miler, I happily told myself, 'Nancy, if you can run 16 miles you can run 26!" One week later, all I could see was the hugeness of 10 more miles atop 16!
Where does one go after all that? After a week of missed short runs, one horrid long run?
To the local running store, of course! I needed shoes and I needed encouragement.
I was greeted warmly by Shelby, the owner. To my delight, he greeted me by name and with a hug! Thank you! He kindly indulged me in discussions about training. He is a Team in Training coach as well as a very accomplished athlete. He’s a wealth of insight, experience, and knowledge.
I wish I could just replay the conversation, or quote it word for word. Not that all of you care to read the ittybitty details, but I suspect that I will need it in the remaining weeks of training. Here are the highlights:
~ "6 weeks out from race day?” he asked… “just a few weeks before you taper? You are right on track. ” My bad run, difficulty in focus and performance is not at all uncommon at this juncture in marathon training. He said when coaching this is the time when the pep talks rev up. Relief!
~ It's the weekly consistent miles that really matter in terms of training more than the longest of the long runs. He gave examples of runners - some who did weekly long runs of 20 miles but no other running and those who packed in regular short and medium runs but never ran more than 13 miles in a long run. The latter *always* ran a better marathon.
~ Rest is what makes the body stronger, not the miles. It’s crucial to training as the running is.
Running longer than 75 minutes is also a critical part of training. After 75 minutes the body is being trained to tap into the ‘unlimited’ fuel source, fat.
~ You can’t train your body to deal with ‘the wall.’ It’s there. Fueling, hydrating, training, rest, etc… those factors play into how you hit the wall, but you can not hit the wall repeatedly and teach the body to do any different. You training yourself in terms of how to prepare and avoid hitting it hard. That training is not done at mile 20. It’s done in practicing nutrition, hydration, fueling in early miles, etc.
~ He reiterated what I have read in several books, it is not necessary to run a 20 miler before race day. In fact he said that in coaching Team in Training, their longest runs are 16 miles. Everyone finishes.
~ He was kind enough to share with me his experience of running marathons fit vs. unfit. He said that no matter his training preparation, it’s those last 6 miles that are hard. Training gets you to 20, your mind gets you thru the last 6 miles.
~ He encouraged me to tackle the last 6 miles in 2 mile chunks with the reward of walking the aid station waiting for me.
I think that about sums it up. It was his kindness, his time, his encouragement that meant so much.
I left the store and ran my weekly short run of 5miles at my normal pace, perhaps a few seconds faster. Today I run 8. Wednesday, 5. Friday. Hmmm. I remain undecided. Shall I go for 16 miles and tell the distance who is boss, and move on from that distance feeling accomplished and able? Should I move my 18 mile runs (of which I plan 2) to the last 2 long run slots and forego my planned 20 miler?
Oh! I ordered and paid for my shoes and asked how to incorporate them. 1st week wear them on alternating short/medium runs. Next week switch to alternating medium/long runs. 3rd week all runs in new shoes. It’s a plan.
I lost a pound! Merry Christmas to me!
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!
Blessings to all,
Nancy
The hesitant but recommitted Marathoner.
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