“So, what are you training for?”
“I don’t know yet.”
And that, in a nutshell, is my current status.
I’m in that weird sort of vacuum where I’ve done my races for the year and the next big one is not yet defined. I know it will be in March or April 2027, but that is still a LONG way away!
Still, with my new coach, The Colonel, I’m in full “training for training” mode. Come to think of it, it’s slightly absurd: I’m doing 95-km weeks, intervals, hills, tempo runs, double-run days and 3 – 4 strength-training sessions a week, all to prepare me for a training cycle that will prepare me for a race I haven’t even chosen yet.
As much as I love running and training, I’m finding this surprisingly hard. I need a specific goal!
When I was training for Boston or London, I could imagine myself running down Boylston Street or past Buckingham Palace, chasing that sub-3:15, with cheering crowds pushing me towards the finish line.
But now, things are slightly bleak: it’s Saturday morning, it’s still dark, and I’m somewhere around kilometre 10 of a long run.
My training plan calls for 3 hours and 50 minutes, including a 20-minute fast finish. So I have roughly 3 more hours to go. Including that fast finish.
And I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to run another 3 hours, never mind a fast finish.
This is where having a coach becomes really inconvenient: if I cut this long run short, The Colonel will see it immediately on that fancy Excel sheet I created.
Initially, I thought the Excel sheet was a great idea. It would help my coach see where my weaknesses are and make our calls more efficient. I rate every run green, amber or red, depending on how well I hit the targets.
What I hadn’t considered was how awkward it would feel to be monitored by my own personal surveillance system.
I can already hear his thundering voice: “What do you mean, you didn’t feel like it? You’ll need to do better than that.”
Mhm.
I weigh my options. I still have a few long runs before our next call. Maybe I can get away with one cheat run if I make sure the next ones are all nice and green?
Yep. I opt for that.
And this, I realise, is exactly the problem with training without a race goal.
When I know I’m preparing for a BIG race, a brutally long run with a painful fast finish has a purpose. It’s part of a bigger picture. You know why you’re suffering. There’s Buckingham Palace or the Brandenburg Gate waiting for me at the end of all those kilometres.
Right now, everything is very fuzzy.
Yes, I have my “greens” on my spreadsheet to motivate me, but they don’t exactly get the adrenaline going.
So, in search of a bit of excitement, I’ve signed up for a few races I can actually work towards. I have a 15k coming up later this month and, more importantly, a half marathon in September.
It’s one of the biggest races in Switzerland and attracts runners from all over. I ran it last year and finished second in my age group, just one minute behind the winner.
One minute!
So now, of course, I’m wondering if I can find that missing minute with all this new training. I’m curious to find out!
- Do you need a specific goal to train for?
- What kind of goals do you set for yourself when you don’t have an upcoming event?
I am linking up with Jenny from Runners Fly and Jenn from Runs with Pugs for Tuesday Topics as well as Runners’ Roundup with Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Mile by Mile, and Runs with Pugs!
Liebe Catrina,
mein erster Gedanke: Warum tut sie das???? Warum nicht eine kurze trainingsfreie Zeit, um zu resetten und dann (nur: wann ist denn das?) wieder loszulegen, wenn die nächsten Ziele definiert sind?
Mein zweiter Gedanke: Wer Ziele braucht, muss sich eben welche suchen! Und genau das hast du getan. Da bin ich aber gespannt, wo du starten wirst und wie es dir dabei ergeht. 🙂
Es ist schon lustig, wie wir ticken. Wenn wir wissen, wofür wir uns plagen, geht es gleich viel leichter!
Ha, genau das habe ich mich zwischendurch auch gefragt, liebe Doris: Warum tue ich mir das eigentlich an??? 😄 Immerhin war der Juni sehr ruhig.
Und du hast natürlich recht: Wer Ziele braucht, muss sich welche suchen! Deshalb habe ich mir mit dem 15er und vor allem dem Halbmarathon im September ein paar kleine Ziele gebastelt. Ich denke, für den Coach ist die Zeit jetzt eher ruhig… irgendwann im Oktober geht die Post wahrscheinlich richtig ab. Ich hoffe, ich kann da mithalten.
Und ja, es ist schon erstaunlich, wie wir gestrickt sind – wie sehr das Gehirn eine Antwort auf das WARUM braucht, bevor er zulässt, dass der Körper gestresst wird!
Tja, du weißt ja wie ich da ticke. Dein Trainingsplan mit dem Colonel im Nacken, das würde mir jeden Spaß am Laufen nehmen, da würde ich richtig schlechte Laune bekommen. Ich will sowas nicht, du dagegen brauchst das.
Aber es hätte vielleicht Sinn gemacht, den Coach für nur ein bestimmtes (großes) Ziel zu aktivieren. Nun ist er da und er beobachtet dich, und so wie ich dich kenne, wirst du das Trainingsprogramm sicher nicht abbrechen 🙂 Da bleibt ja nur eins: Ziele suchen. So ein Halbmarathon ist ja schon mal was, da zählt Schnelligkeit. Wie wäre es mit einem Solo-Marathon unter Wettkampfbedingungen? Dein einziger Gegner ist dein Kopf? Und dann noch auf der Bahn, Runden drehen? 😉 Bau dir selbst ein hartes Rennen an einem Stichtag und schon hast du Sinn im Training und vor allem weißt du dann ob der Colonel den richtigen Plan für dich hat.
Und jetzt los. Tempo-Einheit! Raus! Laufen! 😉
Wir beide sind in anderen Lauf-Universen, aber wie man sieht, führen beide ans Ziel! Wäre eigentlich mal gutes Futter für ein Hobby-Sportpsychologe, diese verschiedene Läufertypen zu untersuchen.
Ich muss dir Recht geben… wenn ich gewusst hätte, dass der Colonel schon jetzt schon mit einem Vor-Training beginnt, hätte ich ihn erst im Oktober/November aktiviert und hätte jetzt diesen über-heissen Sommer ruhiger angehen können. Too late! Und genau, ich “kann” das Programm nicht abbrechen. 😬
Genau, der HM ist eine schöne Distanz und eignet sich gut für eine Standortbestimmung. Deine Idee mit dem Solo-Marathon auf der Bahn finde ich allerdings ziemlich grausam. 😂 Oh my goodness, einen Marathon ganz allein auf einer Bahn, Runde um Runde…. ich würde drauf gehen. Das wäre wiederum etwas für DICH, lieber Oliver!! Du hast diese mentale Stärke, das alleine durchzuziehen!
Der Colonel hat mich heute um 6h schon rausgeschickt – die Fartleks sind zum Glück schon gemacht! 😅
I definitely need a race in my schedule to stay motivated. But it’s annoying if you are injured.
Of course having a trainer would help but I’m not serious enough to spend the $$.
Good luck with your races. Yes go for that minute.
Right now I’m trying to heal. No goals.
Right? As the reigning Racing Queen, you know how addictive races are, Darlene!
I will definitely try and go for that minute.
I hope you will heal quickly – you did so well at the Manhattan Ice Cream Social 10K!
I can see how it would feel a bit anticlimactic to work toward the goal of a future goal. I think it’s smart to add in a few races to keep up the excitement and give you some stepping stones (reasonable ones!) along the way.
And I can also see how having a coach would really propel you to wanting to stay on top of the training plan!! Nothing like external accountability to light a proverbial fire.
Exactly, Elisabeth! If a big race is around the corner, the excitement (and pressure) is high. But like this – well, anticlimactic is the perfect word.
It feels a bit like at school, when you know you have an exam but it’s still months away – you don’t feel like giving it your all too soon.
External accountability makes such a huge difference! Even if I’m fairly ok at motivating myself, it does feel different if you have to explain the “ambers” and the “reds”!
95 kilometre weeks! I am still stuck on that part. That’s a lot of kilometres!
I am kind of scared of your coach, even though he’s on a different continent than me and I’m not running. He looms large!
I am not a person who needs a goal for her workouts BUT I am not an elite athlete like you! So all of my exercise is Just Because exercise.
15K and a half marathon aren’t small things, Catrina! You will do great, I’m sure! The Colonel will make sure of that! And your spreadsheet – what would we do without our spreadsheets?
It is a lot! It actually looks a lot like one of my peak weeks when I was preparing for the London Marathon. And I’m also a little worried about getting injured in the process, so I suspect that’s part of what’s lurking in the back of my mind when I’m facing those long runs.
Haha, Nicole! He has a BIG personality, I tell you! When we review the spreadsheet (yay for spreadsheets!), I sometimes feel like I’m back at work, sitting in a meeting with someone who is about ten levels above me. So intimidating! 😅
Exercising “just because” sounds very healthy to me! One day I’ll get there. 😂
I’m actually really looking forward to those two races. They’ll be the proverbial proof of the pudding!
Yep I was asking that for exactly that reason. Doing crazy km/wk w no race. And do you need another medal?😅💦💦
Maintaining is one thing, but those km is not maintaining, it is hard training. And of course you lose the joy of working hard. Training for health is another thing.
Perhaps this coach is not so useful for maintenance.?🤔 I am sure he can help you in prepping for the bigger races you love to run. Protect your body and go cycling or more mountaineering or even just gym time. You really don’t have to pound it every day. Just my thought. 🤔
Take care of yourself.
Yves
Right?! Crazy kilometres and no race on the horizon… I think I need to take a more relaxed approach. Right now, I’m trying to squeeze everything into my schedule, but I think it would be smarter to do the workouts when they actually fit, rather than feeling like I have to tick every single box. That way, I won’t burn myself out too early, and I’ll still get plenty of good training in.
I’m actually starting to regret contacting The Colonel so early 🤔. It probably would have made more sense to start with him in October or November, when the proper training cycle gets going. The one thing that really worries me is the looong long run. It feels like too much, too early. For now, I think 2–2.5 hours would be plenty.
And next Monday and Tuesday we’ll be doing some hiking in the Mont Blanc area, so no running! 😀
Thank you, Yves!!
Ouch, “three hours to go” with no why is definitely not motivating. Especially when the original plan was to keep doing that for the next six months before you got into the official training cycles for your 2027 races. Going after the extra minute in the half marathon will definitely shake things up.
As you know, running for me has gone from being a “I live therefore I run” thing to a “no thanks” thing. For whatever reason my body doesn’t want intense cardio right now, so I’m honoring that. Fitness right now means being chill and seeing what my body wants to do. It’s an interesting road to explore.
Exactly, Birchie! Three hours to go is a long way when you can’t really answer the question “Why am I doing this?” 😂 And yes, I think the half marathon will be a good little experiment. Having that extra minute to chase gives all the training a bit more purpose.
I actually really like your chill approach. I think there’s a lot to be said for listening to your body instead of forcing yourself to follow a plan just because you have one. Intense cardio is not even necessarily healthy – walking every day is perfectly fine, especially if you have a doggo on your side!
With your goal races so far off, I too would question the need for that high mileage and those very long runs right now. I think setting your sights on a very strong showing at the 15k is a great goal. The risk of injury and/or burnout is real.
Thank you, Marcia! As a running coach, I was wondering what your opinion would be. I’m quite apprehensive about those long runs – they are a recipe for injury if you overdo them.
I will keep them shorter for now as that’s what I feel comfortable with.
I’m so happy to have a 15k and half coming up!
Wow- that is a LOT of hard work with no goal in sight! I agree that would be hard. So much easier to push yourself when you have a race on the calendar. Which… you do! You have some unfinished business at that half in September… sounds like you can crush it (and the competition) with this training you’re doing. Good luck with it.
Btw your photos are insanely beautiful!!!
Exactly! It’s amazing how much easier it is to suffer through a horrible workout when you know exactly what you’re suffering for. 😂 Like, 60 mile ultras, right, Jenny?
And yes, that half marathon is definitely giving me something to look forward to now. I’m very curious to see whether all this training can actually find that missing minute from last year!
The photos are from a few outings with my parents over the last two weeks. I love the scenery, too!
Liebe Catrina,
nach dem Rennen ist vor dem Rennen, würde ich mal sagen. Nach einem Rennen geht es um gute Regeneration. Vor einem Rennen geht es um zielführenden Aufbau. Und es ist ja auch klar, dass man den Körper nicht permanent in voller Marathon-Form halten kann. Das wäre ja, wie einen Automotor dauernd in voller Drehzahl zu halten. Also kommt es zwischen abgeschlossener Regeneration und vor Einstieg in einen fordernden Wettkampftrainingsplan darauf an, den Körper in guter Bereitschaft zu halten, dass die Fitness nicht abflacht und man in einem Level bleibt, der den Einstieg ins neue Training ohne Mühe und daher mit Spaß ermöglicht.
Tja, und dann kommt dein Naturell ins Spiel, kann es sein, dass du auch in der Schule schon nicht still sitzen konntest…? 😉 Den Colonel hast du dir selber ausgesucht. Also, denke ich mal, geh seinen Weg mit, das ist deine derzeitige Motivation. Und dass das ganze dem nächsten großen Ziel dient. Unterwegs dorthin mal “kleine” Rennen mitzugehen ist doch gut und sollte deine Ungeduld etwas abfedern. Die fehlende Minute finden – ist doch ein klasse Zwischenziel!
Ansonsten bin ich froh, derzeit nicht in einer Vorbereitungsphase zu stecken. Dieser Hitzesommer raubte mir dazu den Spaß.
Liebe Grüße, Elke
Liebe Elke,
haha, ja, mein Naturell ist vermutlich tatsächlich ein Teil des Problems! 😄 Still sitzen und einfach mal nichts tun war noch nie meine grosse Stärke. Und jetzt habe ich mir den Colonel auch noch selbst ausgesucht, also muss ich wohl durch. 😂
Aber du hast recht: Ich kann den Körper nicht permanent in Marathon-Form halten. Dein Vergleich mit dem Automotor passt sehr gut. Ich glaube, ich werde den Plan etwas anpassen, damit ich mich damit wohler fühle. Gerade diese sehr langen Longruns machen mir etwas Sorgen. Sind es nicht genau die, die das Verletzungsrisiko erhöhen? Und mental machen sie natürlich auch müde!
Die kleinen Wettkämpfe sind eine gute Möglichkeit, etwas Spannung in diese Zwischenphase zu bringen. Und ich freue mich tatsächlich auf die Challenge, im September die fehlende Minute zu suchen! Das wird auch ein guter Test dafür, ob dieses ganze Training wirklich etwas bringt.
Uff, dieser brutale Sommer ist wirklich nicht lustig, insbesondere diese Trockenheit. Ab Sonntag soll es zumindest mal mit der Hitze vorbei sein, immerhin das! 😅 Dann kannst du hoffentlich wieder loslegen!
I have been in that situation of constantly training without a goal race and eventually found it both emotionally and physically taxing. I also found this led to injuries for me. Might be worth having a chat with your coach about -that’s my 2 cents
Precisely, Deborah! You are right to point out the emotional aspect as well… it’s draining!
The feedback here has really encouraged me to push back on my coach and to adapt the plan to a level where I feel more comfortable.
Liebe Catrina,
ich denke fast so wie Oliver: ein solcher Coach, der mir zu martialisch oder sogar fast zu militant daherkommt, hätte mir den Spaß verdorben! Wahrscheinlich wäre ich ausgestiegen, wenn ich gemerkt hätte, dass er mir diesbezüglich nicht gut tut! Übertragen auf meine Zeit früher: da gab’s TR-Pläne von Peter Greif, die ich beobachtet, aber dann für mich nie geordert hatte. Mein Vorteil war, dass ich bald selbst nicht nur Ahnung, sondern Wissen von der Materie hatte! 😉
Wie auch andere (so Oliver) festgestellt haben, brauchst du das! Deshalb bleib dabei und lote dann aus, ob es dir gut tut, wenn es härter wird. Bitte horch immer in dich rein, nicht dass du dir dann wieder irgend so eine schlimme Verletzung zuziehst, die sich ja meist langsam aufbaut! Ehrlich zu sich selbst sein ist da extrem wichtig und bitte nicht aus Ehrgeiz etwas durchziehen nur weil es ein Coach sagt! – Dein ruhigerer Juni beruhigt mich, da dort sicherlich deine Regeneration hat stattfinden können. (Mentale und körperliche Auszeiten sind wichtig.)
Andererseits kann ich dich gut verstehen. Hohes und spezifisches TR-Aufkommen konnte ich besser halten, wenn ich mir ein Ziel in Form eines WKs gesetzt hatte. Allerdings schätze ich dich als disziplinierter ein. Du ziehst auch spezifisches TR durch, da ein TR-Plan vorliegt. TR vorm TR war für mich Spaß am Kilometer-Kloppen zu haben, in dem ich einfach raus bin und nicht nur runnning, sondern racing betrieben habe! Es war wahrscheinlich auch formerhaltend! 😆
Do you need a specific goal to train for? – Jein, denn trainiert habe ich immer, aber für ein spezifisches TR brauchte ich dann doch ein WK-Ziel! 😛
What kind of goals do you set for yourself when you don’t have an upcoming event? – Meist waren es Zahlenziele, wie z. B. ein Mindest-Wochenumfang zu halten!
In diesem Sinne wünsche ich dir, dass du dranbleiben kannst. Immerhin hast du dann im Frühjahr 2027 wieder etwas vor!
Liebe Grüße Manfred
Lieber Manfred,
nöö, The Colonel wäre wohl weder etwas für dich noch für Oliver gewesen! Aber das ist ja völlig in Ordnung, wir sind eben alle etwas anders gestrickt. Wie du sagst, ich brauche das tatsächlich: Ich mag die Struktur und das Gefühl, einen Plan abhaken zu können. ABER du hast natürlich recht, dass ich aufpassen muss, dass aus Ehrgeiz nicht wieder eine Verletzung entsteht. Gerade bei den sehr langen Longruns will ich deshalb auf der vorsichtigen Seite bleiben und sie kürzer halten, als er vorschlägt.
Ich habe mit ihm auch besprochen, warum ich fast vier Stunden laufen soll, wenn ich doch einen 3:15-Marathon laufen will. Seine Antwort: um mich zu konditionieren. Damit hat er bestimmt recht, aber ich glaube, es ist einfach noch etwas zu früh dafür.
Und lustig, dass du Peter Greifs Pläne erwähnst! Die habe ich früher tatsächlich auch benutzt bzw. mich nach seinen Plänen gerichtet. Ich glaube, Elke auch. Für mich war damals allein die Idee eines 35-km-Laufs völlig neu! Erst als ich diese langen Läufe in mein Training aufgenommen hatte, merkte ich, was es tatsächlich braucht, um einen Marathon zu laufen. Bis dahin war ich einmal einen ziemlich knorzigen Marathon in 4:38 gelaufen. 😄
Deine Antwort auf meine erste Frage trifft es ziemlich gut: Trainiert hast du immer, aber für spezifisches Training brauchtest du dann doch ein Wettkampfziel. Genau das merke ich gerade auch. Ich trainiere weiterhin gerne, aber mir fehlt momentan dieses konkrete „Wofür?“. Die kleinen Rennen helfen dabei schon etwas.
Und Zahlenziele sind eine gute Idee! So ähnlich wie meine grünen Felder in der Excel-Tabelle. 😂 Nicht ganz so ambitioniert wie ein Wochenkilometerziel, aber offenbar brauche ich irgendeine Form von Ziel oder Kontrolle.
Und dann gibt es ja noch hoffentlich das grosse Ziel im Frühjahr 2027 … Bis dahin werde ich genügend kleinere Ziele finden! 😄
So‘n bisschen Masochistin muss Frau da aber schon sein, sich ohne Not derartig quälen und kommandieren zu lassen und dafür auch noch Geld zu bezahlen …. 🧌⛓️💥
Verrätst du, welcher Halbmarathon es wird oder ist das noch geheim?
Voll! 🤣 Und ironischerweise habe ich gerade gestern wieder die Rechnung bekommen… 750 Rand, etwa 40 Euro, muss ich für den Spass bezahlen. 😬
Claro! Ich hab’s nur nicht erwähnt, weil ich dachte, das Detail interessiert die meisten nicht 😅: es ist der Greifenseelauf (19.9.) und wird etwa 15’000 Läufer haben. Und der 15km Lauf ist der Sihlseelauf, klein und fein (und wie ich hoffe, nicht allzu heiss am 22. August!)
I definitely need a goal to keep training hard. I could do 10km run anyway even without race but I would never do a 90 min progression run that did today otherwise. I’m very impressed by your almost 4 hours run when your marathon PR is way below that. Is it any specific reason he wants to run longer?
My issue with a person coach is that I would push too much when my physical body needs some slack because I would think why am I paying for a coach when I don’t follow it to T?
We all have weaknesses and it’s good to find the method that fits us.
Have you considered back to trail race?
Same, Coco, same!! I could happily go out for a 10K without a race on the calendar, but I definitely wouldn’t voluntarily do a 90-minute progression run without a very good reason! 😂
And I had the same thought about the nearly 4-hour runs. I asked my coach about it and his answer was that it’s about conditioning the body to endure, even if the goal race time is shorter. On race day, we run faster and will tire out faster, so the more we train endurance, the better. I agree with the logic, I just think it’s too early in the training cycle. I’m going to keep those really long runs a bit shorter for now.
I completely understand your point about paying for a coach! I have exactly that feeling sometimes: if I’m paying him, I should follow the plan PRECISELY. But I also need to remind myself that I know my body better than my coach.
And yes, I do love trail racing! I think I will get back to that after I’ve done some more of the Abbott Majors.
I would have a hard time maintaining that level of intensity for a prolonged period of time! I think I would get burned out! But I am not an elite athlete like you are! But it would help to have some goals to sort of test how this new training plan is working/benefiting you!
I used to run a 10 mile race in sept every year but I sort of fell out of love with training for it (well, I use the word training lightly because I was mostly logging miles so my body could handle running 10 miles. I was not aiming to get faster as running has fallen from the list of priorities since having kids!). Right now I just do OTF and I aim to get to 4 classes/week. Right now is marathon month so you aim to run a marathon over the course of the month. The running part is about 23 minutes of class so it can be a challenge to do 26.2 miles. It’s my first time doing it so I did not know how much mileage I might accumulate. Plus I’ll be gone the last week of the month. But through yesterday I had logged 17 miles so I probably should have signed up for the ultra distance instead of the marathon. But now I know!!
Haha, “elite athlete like you are” is definitely giving me more credit than I deserve! 😂 But I agree, I think burnout is a real danger if I have to maintain this level of intensity for months without something to work towards. That’s exactly why I’m looking forward to the 15K and half marathon. They’ll give me a chance to see whether all this extra training is actually doing anything!
Oh, I love that OTF has a marathon month challenge! And 17 miles already when you’re only getting about 23 minutes of running per class is VERY impressive. 😂 An ultra is the only way to go for you, Lisa! Good luck getting those last miles in, especially with your trip coming up. I’m so impressed that you get to OTF 4 times a week despite your hectic work schedule and family. I’m not sure I could do that!
It is hard to dig deep with no bigger goal in mind. If you are sure you do need to be training so hard right now, I know you will find the discipline to do it.
Maybe if you tell your coach your mini race goal you can do more speed work and fewer 3 hour runs!
Exactly! It’s surprisingly hard to dig deep when there’s no bigger goal on the horizon.
Actually you have a great point, Coco! I haven’t told The Colonel about my mini race goals yet – I have a call with him coming up and I will make sure to tell him. Hopefully that will mean a bit more speed work and fewer three-hour slogs! 😂
I really enjoy the process and dont always need a goal- although its nice to have something to work towards. I worry that training hard for too long could lead to burnout, especially doing such long runs and high mileage! I hope you can figure out a plan that gets you set up well for your next training cycle without being so overwhelming.
Yes, that’s exactly it, Lisa! How to keep the fitness and enjoy the training without burning myself out before I even get to the actual training cycle! 😂 I do love the process, but apparently I enjoy it even more when I know what I’m suffering for.
And yes, the long runs and high mileage are the part I’m most concerned about. I’m going to tweak the plan to the point where I feel it’s more sustainable. I’d rather arrive at the proper training cycle feeling strong and excited than already be tired of running!
Wow Catrina, that’s an insane training load. Does your body handle it well? Are you enjoying training as a challenge in itself? Is your coach thinking this is maintenance training or is he thinking about making you ready for that sub-3 hour (if I remember correctly?) marathon?
I guess the only thing I’d worry about would be the injury risk, and being aware that such a heavy training load should be a temporary thing for a specific goal.
As you know I love training, and I train for infinite goals, like building more muscle, changing body composition, to keep getting stronger, “fix” imbalances etc… but with my strength training I always train in cycles. A period of higher rep range, then a period of heavier weights and lower reps, hybrid programs, and so on and that’s very helpful both for the body adaptation, and for the mind.
Sometimes I wonder if I should have more of a goal? But I’m happy enough with seeing myself being able to lift more so maybe it’s all good.
I was just looking at my monthly stats this morning, and right now I’m roughly where I was in March and April, when I was at the height of my London Marathon preparation. It is definitely a very high training load, but you know what? My body is handling it surprisingly well! And I think the increase in protein is making a huge difference. I’m honestly quite surprised by how much better I feel.
For the coach, this is maintenance and getting me ready for the REAL training cycle. And yes, he thinks I can run a sub-3-hour marathon… although I think 3:10 is probably more realistic! 😂 You’re right, the very long runs are the part that worries me most, both because of the injury risk and because they are mentally exhausting.
I really like your approach of training in cycles, Susanne. I think that makes a lot of sense for me too, rather than keeping the intensity high for months on end. Actually, that’s a good reminder for me to ask The Colonel about this on our next call.
I don’t think you need a specific goal if you’re enjoying getting stronger and seeing what your body can do. I’d keep doing exactly what you’re doing! It sounds like a very solid approach to me. 😊
Yikes, Catrina! That does seem pretty intense considering you don’t have any big-big races happening for a while. Myself, I would be so burned-out, but I’m not a high-intensity training gal, nor do I do that kind of mileage, LOL. They said, knocking off that “one minute” is probably within reach 🙂
Right?! And I’m definitely starting to wonder if I’m making things harder than they need to be. I’m enjoying the challenge, but I don’t want to burn myself out before the actual marathon training even starts in October.
And yes, that one minute is now firmly in my head! 😂 I’m really curious to see whether all this extra training can actually find it in September. If I can knock it off, I’ll have to admit The Colonel knows what he’s doing!
I LIKE having a goal to train for but I don’t NEED a goal. I’ve really had to step back on races this summer because of the heat and my work schedule, but it will be nice to have some in the rotation again. I hope you find some motivation again soon.
I can’t even imagine what it must be like to train the Florida summer heat! We’ve been having unprecedented heat waves here in Europe, but I think your humidity is next level.
Yes to having some races on the calendar again!
I’ve always run just to run; training for races did help give me focus and motivation. When I finally decided to stop racing, I had already started running on trails, so it wasn’t too hard to motivate myself. I mean, who wouldn’t feel motivated to view all the beautiful scenery!! You might not have a specific goal at this time, but remind yourself that the miles and the work is money in the bank–something big is coming for you and you need to be ready for it!
I really like that “money in the bank” idea, Wendy! That’s probably a good way for me to look at it right now. I know all these kilometres are building a base for whatever comes next, even if I don’t know exactly what that is yet. 😂
And I can definitely see the appeal of trail running as a goal in itself. There’s something very motivating about having beautiful scenery, especially on the trails in Wisconsin! I thought of you this morning on my run and tried to focus on the beauty instead of all the missing GOALS!
Seems like pretty heavy-duty training without a goal at the end. I guess you’d better find one. 🙂
I hope to find one soon, Debbie!
I have a half in November but I’m not looking to set any records. My motivation/ambition are fairly low.
I’m running because I enjoy it and not for any specific goals.
But I agree that having a race on the calendar is a great motivator.
Good luck with your half in November, Andy!
I guess running for the joy of it is the best kind of running. It’s a lot more sustainable and not dependent on races or their outcome!
You are amazing, Catrina. I can see yourself as one who needs a specific goal. You are so disciplined even without anything on your calendar. A specific goal will definitely motivate me to get out there. Though right now after my last two DNF’s is to finish under the cutoffs. ☺️
Haha, yes, I’ve definitely learned that I’m much better at suffering when I know exactly what I’m suffering for! 😂
Finishing under the cutoffs sounds like a very good goal after the two DNFs. The goal doesn’t always have to be a big PB. Just getting to that finish line is enough of a challenge! You can definitely do it, Carl!!
I totally get this feeling. Having small goals or ‘stakes’ in the ground works well for me personally. They give me smaller, more frequent objectives to work toward and I seem to do well with those.
At the moment I also find myself in a place without any big or lofty goals, but have had a few smaller races and events in the short term that are keeping me focused. I’m trying to keep the bigger picture of training consistent and working to keep my fitness ready for longer events that I enjoy, and then use the intermittent races as smaller goals to hone the training in where I can.
Lately, over the last 2 months that has meant adding some big elevation training in, which I’ve tried to balance out with real trail/mountain outings and the treadmill set with high incline. I fit that in with the bigger picture by keeping the climbs slower so I benefit more aerobically from these sessions.
Structure is great, but too much structure can make running a chore!
I think we’re actually in a very similar place right now, Sean! I really like your idea of having smaller “stakes” in the ground. That’s exactly what I’m hoping the smaller races will do for me.
And I love that you’ve been adding the elevation work without letting it take over the whole training. Your workouts on Strava look both challenging and fun, which seems like a pretty sensible way to build the aerobic side without turning every session into a sufferfest.
And yes, that last sentence really resonates with me: structure is great, but too much structure can make running a chore. So true!
I have my half marathon tomorrow and I’m getting nervous now… It’s my first big test to see what all this new training is actually doing for me!
And all the very best for your Otter Trail adventure next week! Which one will you be doing, the 9-hour or 11-hour cut-off? Either way, it’s going to be EPIC, and I can’t wait to hear all about it!!
As I just wrote on your Strava, you crushed the half marathon! What an excellent time!!
And thank you. I’m doing the Otter ‘Challenge’ on Thursday, with prologue on Wednesday, so the cut-off is 11 hour. My goal is mainly to try to avoid cramp as much as possible!
Thanks, Sean!
All the best with the Otter tomorrow!! So exciting! Remember to take all the anti-cramp things (magnesium)!