Thursday, September 3, 2009

Getting Stronger

I must say that taken some time off from running has allowed my body to really recover. Now I can see why Scott Jurek takes 4-6 weeks off at the end of the year. Although it has been a lot of work getting my base mileage back (not there yet), I feel so much stronger with a new focused attitude. I had a couple 6 milers the other week where I had to take a walking break because my stamina was weak in the 90+ degree GA heat. Normally a 6 mile run would be like walking to the mail box. I was frustrated during my run but also realized that it would take a little time to get it back.

Last night I went out for a 10 mile easy run and ended up turning it into a tempo run because I felt so good in the cool 70 deg night air. I was able to maintain an 8 min mile pace the entire run while keeping my HR in the 80% to 90% range; and still had plenty in the tank for more. I felt good with this considering my time away from doing any serious running.

There has been a hint of fall in the air with the cooler temps this week – Thank God.

I reflected back on my training this year and thought about next year’s races, and the same thought keep flashing in my head: Doing the same thing and expecting different results - Crazy! I thought about what went well, and identified the weak areas I need to improve in. With a new focus and training plan, a return trip to RR-100 is a must in Feb. It sounds like a long time away, but for me it means I only have 5 months to build up my core mileage, specific training (speed work and hill training), and get my hydration and nutrition under control. I will be given more attention to heart rate monitoring and use it to guide my workouts. I did some research on this and can see the benefits in it by allowing the HR to dictate the difference between a hard training day and a recovery day. I will post more details on my training as I progress towards my new goal.

3 comments:

Beth said...

It's funny how a race can sound far away, but when you plot out the training and what needs to be accomplished, it's not much time at all. It will be fun to shake things up and try something different. Good luck!

Ronda said...

My friend always says, "If nothing changes, nothing changes". Seems so obvious but sometimes hard to identify. A break from running has been the best thing I have ever done for my running though it took years for me to really embrace it and try it. Now I am a believer. Have fun getting back at it!

Anonymous said...

Hi there. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Nice to have found yours. You have some awesome races under your belt.