Me and my running

As much as I joke about my unorthodox training methods, I am pleased that it works for me. I can’t justify the time to run 5 or more days a week. So I am pleased that I can continue to keep running well, finding improvement and in general avoiding injury. My current weekly mileage is about 50km, which I try to average over a 2 week block, so 1 bad week does not get me down – I just catch up the next. But in case someone else read this and is looking to duplicate, please note my major point – I do not often cruise a run, even easy runs will have significant sections of hard work.

 

To explain further I’ll describe my ‘normal’ running.

 

1. You just saw my long run from yesterday. It is very rare that I do not negative split my long run. Prior to yesterday, I did 30km first 15km ave 4.52, by the time I finished my average had dropped to 4.42. or I will incorporate a fast section lasting approx 40min.
2. I run hills a lot, I work the uphills and cruise the downhills. I will either high step, or long stride up hills. If not that then I’ll use a fast cadence.
3. If I am running under an hour then I run a solid pace from start to finish – no warm-up 10min, straight in and get the heart and legs pumping early, the entire run is under a fair amount of ‘stress’. Usually I will have a fast finish for approx 2km – flat out, legs burning, heart pounding, head quitting.
4. I use group runs to keep me in check, these runs will always be my easiest runs. This is time to ensure the enjoyment remains. This is time to soak up information and ideas.
5. My running pace is quicker than recommended in general. I take the common theory and usually increase the pace by a bit, particularly on my long runs, but it applies to most of my running. eg last marathon 4m37s, all long runs (solo) sub 5m. 15km runs 4m30s ave, including hills. 4m10s if flat.
6. I rarely run the same course twice in a week, I regularly change my courses, run them in reverse, combine different courses. This makes sure I do not get into a rut or a habit. I have found old courses seem too easy, my mind has beaten those courses so they provide little challenge other than to run them faster (not always an option). Different courses, different hills, different mental battles, different feelings. This keeps things fresh, it does not allow a bad run to get in the way. When I do got back to an old favourite, I can quickly identify the improvements. This also makes sure my boredom does not surface – I get easily bored with the same things.

 

 

So I suppose this is a little bit about me lining up my thoughts and really evaluating what I do, but also it acts as a ‘reality check’ for anyone who reads about my running, and how it differs from the normal. Hopefully there aren’t people simply looking at my small 50km weeks and thinking that is all there is to it.

 

Will I stick to my current theory? For now, yes. Like I said I can’t justify any more time. At the moment it is providing the fitness I need, but it is also providing the improvement that I enjoy. If my goals change in the future and running faster or longer cease to be important, then you will find I will mellow and I will simply run 1hr sessions at a cruisy pace with an occasional 2hr run thrown in just to make sure I can cover a half marathon on a whim.

 

There it is, a little more about how I make running work for me, and not the other way around.

Enjoy your running, I hope you too can find your ultimate plan / theory so you can keep the enjoyment in your running.