NO WONDER

First off, be sure to check out this video of the Team Minnesota guys training for the trials.


Watch more video of USA Olympic Marathon Trials 2012 Houston on flotrack.org


Then read Matt’s latest thoughts.

This new program has me alternating between short and long intervals each week. I mentioned that my ½ mile repeats felt a lot easier than my ¼ mile repeats. I attributed that to 1) being more used to slower stuff and 2) getting a little more fit. The real reason they felt easier is because they were supposed to be 1 mile repeats at the pace I was running. So, it’s no wonder they felt easier.

Yesterday I relearned a couple of valuable lessons. First, running speed workouts outside in January in Minnesota is not easy. I thought I’d be able to do my mile repeats when it was 11 degrees at 6 AM, on a somewhat slippery trail. I talked myself out of them telling myself I’d run them the next day. Second, don’t rely on using the treadmills at work to do your key workouts – especially not right after the New Year. The Resolutionists will always show up this time of year and there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get in the workout you want. With that in mind, I’m trying to remind myself that it’s only January. If I skip or postpone an interval session, it’s not the end of the world. At this point it’s more important to maintain consistency and build on my December by putting in some solid mileage.

Speaking of December, I ended up running 28 of 31 days for 206 miles. I think that’s pretty solid given that my previous months were 17, 4, 92, 46 and 68. The last 2 month’s included a lot of roller skiing, but not much running. As you can guess, my mileage for the year really low. I closed with 1,544 miles. That’s my lowest total since 2003 when I was training for an Ironman.

Quote of the Day;

“I, for one, think that I am in the best fitness of my life including the few times I thought that I couldn’t get much fitter and went on to run 13:30 for 5000m. Even last June when I put together a 2:13 marathon, I wondered how I could gain the next 1% needed for a huge jump to that 2:11 give or take range; I’m not wondering how, but when. And that’s all good and exciting and everything.” – Matt Gabrielson