March 26th: Training the Mind

            It’s really quite amazing just how much our mind controls our ability to run and perform. For most runners, this is one of the most interesting times of the year. Living in the Midwest, it’s the time of year where you can run without a shirt one day and debate whether you should wear 2 or 3 layers the next. It’s also that time of year where you’re in between racing seasons and you have likely put in a lot of hard work the last few weeks; in some cases, you probably don’t even realize just how fast you have been running. With the weather gradually warming, our muscles began to loosen up, and we’ve been more excited to get outside to run and enjoy the weather which has lead to a lot of faster runs. The cold weather front that has hit us this past week combined with a couple weeks of “over training” has a lot of us are feeling a bit more tired than normal. The good news is warmer weather is on its way, and it only takes a couple days or even one great run to become rejuvenated so hang in there. Don’t over think your training and have confidence in your plan. It’s perfectly normal to have ups and downs in training. It’s good to make subtle adjustments in training to compensate for how we’re feeling, but keep the big picture in sight and get through the lows. While it’s critical to physically train our bodies to perform better, it’s equally, if not more important to train our minds.

Training Summary:

            My goals going into the week were to hit 95-100 miles, work on my mental toughness, and get in some key speed work. After my disappointment with my performance at the Irish Jig, I followed up the next day with a 20 miler where I averaged 5:38’s. It was really a challenging run because I ran an out and back where the wind was predominantly at my back for the first 10 miles and I split a 55:40. The second half of my run was against the wind which presented great physical and mental challenges, but I really did enjoy it. A 5:38 pace 20 miler ties my fastest 20 mile training run ever which encourages me for the up and coming months. We had a minor speed workout on Tuesday and I ran 8 x 200, 200 rest on Wednesday. I threw on my spikes to work on form and calf strength and I really paid for it. Despite only running in the 30-31 second range, this workout destroyed my calf muscles and was much harder on my legs than my 20 miler. The 200’s also put me in oxygen debut and really made me work on dealing with the unfamiliar pain that comes with sprinting. Keep in mind, I’m a marathoner and I haven’t really done speed work since last spring. I ran the same workout on Friday, but wore flats instead. This was much easier on my legs and everything felt easier. Assuming I get my second run in today, I should hit 100 miles this week with one 2-a-day. All in all, I felt tired going into this week, but I set realistic and challenging goals for the week that I was able to achieve which I feel great about.

            On another note, I’m interested to see what people’s preference is regarding training in minimally cushioned training vs heavily cushioned shoes and made a poll to see what everyone thinks.