The other day I wrote about everyone wanting to “be there” with their training. “There” meaning being fit. Now I know why people feel that way – because not “being there” sucks.
I don’t know if it was all the golf course hills or running on the soft grass (probably both), but my legs were tired today. I managed to make it 9 miles, but it was a struggle. Here I am, not even up to 70 mpw yet and I’m already “struggling” with the mileage. Thinking back to this time last year, I was already in the mid-70 range. However, I was also averaging 9-10 runs per week. This year I’m trying to, as they say, “maximize my mileage in singles” before adding two-a-days.
The last time I really maximized my mileage in singles was the spring of 2004. At the time I had a job that would allow me to run 6-8 miles during my lunch hour. That spring I got laid off, but they let me continue “working” another two months. “Somehow” my lunch breaks started getting longer and I began running 8-12 miles everyday. I ended up having my best summer racing season.
Since I’m not “there” right now, I have to balance my daily efforts in order to make sure I can get in the next day’s mileage. Typically there’s a balance between pace and mileage, yesterday I found out that terrain also plans a role at this point. While it’s important for me to add some hilly routes to my training, I have to be careful not to sacrifice my mileage.
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9 comments:
I cannot even fathom running more than 50-60 miles per week. I am sure you will fall into your groove soon though!
Let me know if you figure out how to balance family, life, work and mileage - I bet you could make milliions
Well Susan, first off, I have no life outside of family, running and work.
I put family first and try to make my training as transparent to them as possible - hence the 4:45 wake up calls. I figure if they're sleeping, they won't miss me.
If I'm running 2-a-days, I do it after my kids have gone to sleep. They're still young enough to be in bed by 7:30. I also do those when my wife's gone or when she wouldn't want to watch what I would (like Monday Night Football).
As for work, find a job that pays the bills and doesn't drive you crazy (you don't have to love it). It helps if you're not career oriented. I get my competitive, give it your all-fix from running. I don't need it at work too. That doesn't mean I don't work hard or do a good job. It means I'm not going to be there more than 40 hours per week (unless it's absolutely critical). And if things are slow and I can sneak in a lunchtime run - I will. :-)
9-10 runs a week. Woah, that's a lot of road pounding.
I am lucky with a job that is quite demanding at the same time my boss doesn't expect me to pull OT all the time.
Rare to find jobs like that in today's society...
I guess those executive bastards don't work in your office . . . any openings?
Cliff, how many times a week do you think elites (or even the top studs in your area) are training? Do you think they're only running 6 days (and times) per week?
What about elite Ironman triathletes? I'm sure they're training 20+ hours per week.
Susan, I'm sure those executive bastards would demand more of me if I were an aspiring executive bastard too. When you're a peon, only so much crap can roll your way.
Zeke, I definitely jumped back into training too soon and I think a lot of people do, but we all have our goals to fulfill so I can't say I blame them.
It was interesting that you touched on the maximizing workouts before jumping into two a days. I have noticed from following Mike at "Running With Lydiard" that he does exactly that and I wondered why he did not do more two a days. It makes sense to maximize, but I have not read the Lydiard material yet, but I do plan on following it when I return. Good luck with the climb upward in mileage.
Very awesome blog, somehow I stumbled here :). But I can totally relate about being creative on finding the time to put in the runs. I'll definitely frequent here from now on.
Rob, I agree and I don't blame them either. That's the only way we learn and improve our training.
Yeah, the maximizing mileage in singles just seems to make sense intuitively. Just looking at a calendar from last January with my daily miles penciled in; why was I running 5 miles in the morning and 5 miles in the evening instead of one run of 10 miles?
Bella, I don't know about "awesome" but I'm glad you like it. "Stumbling in" is my method for finding new blogs too.
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