I train year round so that I can race when I want to and to stay in good shape health wise. I can be a bit obsessive about my training and need to remind myself that some days are good days and some are not. I read an article by Jenn Movold in this month’s Runner’s World that spoke to me with regard to training. I want to share a portion of it here with you.
"…when the training really starts to mount, we sometimes need to take a step back from the plan and the pressure to maintain a positive focus. Being firmly connected to a goal is a strong motivator that helps us stay committed to training programs. But that doesn’t change the fact that we are human and need a break from the intensity to stay energized, mentally and physically, for the hard work required.
So think of training plans less like a blueprint and more like a recipe. In a perfect world, we’d follow the recipe precisely down to every last grain of salt. But there are times when you just don’t have red wine vinegar in the pantry and you need to improvise.
The same goes for your training plan. We’d all love to nail every single workout and maximize every minute of a recovery day, but successful training requires a balance between emotional, mental and physical tolls. It’s essential to find a way to cope with the extra stress from training while still managing your already demanding workload outside of running. That’s where the fun comes in and the magic starts to happen. Don’t forget that your training is there to help you, not break you."This is so perfectly explained. It took me years to learn that sometimes I just need to take a day off. If I am feeling unmotivated in my training, I know that it means that I am not in the right mental state to train properly. I simply change my plan that day to something really easy or I skip the day altogether. Missing one day of training in a long schedule will have absolutely no effect on my performance in my goal race. Take it from me, improvisation has helped me get through some tough mental challenges when I am ramping up my mileage getting ready for a marathon or relay.
While I know that it is important to complete my scheduled workouts as they were intended, I give myself the leeway to not necessarily execute them to perfection. There are times when executing my workouts to the very letter is a bad idea. I have learned (the hard way) that my training plans are intended to help me predict how I will do in the race I signed up for. These workouts represent what I should do if everything in my life goes perfectly as planned. The plan does not anticipate days when I am not on my game or have come back really late from a business trip. Obviously nothing goes perfectly all the way through a training plan. Movold is telling us that it is very important that despite what the written page says we need to listen to what our body is telling us and make adjustments as necessary.
I hope that you take this to heart. None of us want to have an injury that will prevent us from running altogether. It is a huge part of my life and I am sure yours. Therefore it is critical that you never forget the last sentence of the quoted article, “…your training is there to help you, not break you.” If you give yourself a break when things aren’t going as planned, you will find that you will reduce injuries and never lose your love of the sport. Most importantly, I’m sure you will find your magic out there on the road.
May 21 – 3.10 miles (23:16, 7:30 pace) – Speed Work
May 23 – 8.30 miles (1:10:48, 8:32 pace) – Tempo Run
May 24 – 4.10 miles (37:44, 9:13 pace)
May 25 – 9.10 miles (1:21:50, 9:00 pace)
May 26 – 9.30 miles (1:25:23, 9:11 pace)
May 27 – 5.75 miles (1:02:23, 10:51 pace) – Hill Repeats
May 28 – 6.34 miles (53:29, 8:26 pace) – Speed Work
May 29 – 1.00 miles (9:14, 9:14 pace)
May 30 – 8.70 miles (1:13:54, 8:30 pace) – Tempo Run
May 31 – 5.10 miles (45:35, 8:56 pace)
June 1 – 9.20 miles (1:25:21, 9:16 pace)
June 2 – 9.30 miles (1:26:17, 9:17 pace)
Total Miles: 79.29 miles
2019 Total Miles: 684.12 miles
