Big apologies for my whiney post yesterday. I imagine all of us marathoners (or half marathoners) towards the end of an intense training season are allowed to have at least one post where everything feels like the end, like the race will fail, etc. Right? I hope so!
Actually, I spent a while last night on google reading about a bad long run at the end of training. One of the most interesting things I read was that some big coach of many elite runners once said there is a big difference between elite and average runners when it comes to bad runs: elites can shake it off and know they are still great whereas average runners tend to dwell on those bad runs. Guilty as charged!
Also, one of the philosophies of the Hansons training is that long runs are simply mental. The problem with non-elite runners doing so many long runs is that they are essentially putting all of their eggs into one basket for one run each week or two. Therefore, they are discounting all the work of the shorter and tempo runs, which are even more important. Fair enough.
Furthermore, I am sure my legs felt so bad because of running on fresh snow. My pace was faster than it needed to be for a long run and the effort was greater. The end.
Today was redemption. I woke up and barely felt sore at all! I headed out for an easy 6 mile recovery run. I felt fantastic! I tried to keep myself at a slow pace. My goal for the marathon is to run the first 5-10 miles at a slow (9:30 to 9:40-ish) pace. I tried to see what that felt like today. My first 5 miles were closer to 9:15 or 9:20. At least that was progress. My sixth mile, inexplicably, was 8:24. I did not even feel like I was pushing the pace there at all. I think that was my body's way of telling me I can do this. After all, I did run the equivalent of a marathon between yesterday and today.
With 3 weeks until ATX marathon, LET THE TAPER BEGIN!
Cool, you're using Hanson's Method! I just bought the book and am seriously considering using their beginner plan for a summer marathon. I was hoping to read about someone who's been using it-I'm interested to read about how it's been going for you!
ReplyDeleteWelllllll, I wouldn't actually say I am using the Hanson's method per say. I kind of just saw it and after a bad long run and decided to pick and choose what they say to suite my needs at the time, lol. It is helping me justify maybe why it is ok to walk into a marathon without feeling fully confident that I have a great long run behind me. I am interested in the method though!
DeleteI try to always remember that each and every run is helping make me improve. I always try and do something different on my short runs for that reason. There is no shame in some self-doubt though! You wouldn't be human if you didn't have that sometimes.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are feeling better about the run today -- I think that happens a lot after a bad run. You get worked up about it, but then the next day you feel so much better! Everyone has bad runs sometimes, but its just like everyone has a bad day sometimes. There are better days and better runs right around the corner. :) Enjoy your tapering!
ReplyDeleteI think that's a really interesting distinction - between elite and average. I also think that doubting yourself is normal and something everyone does, though maybe elite runners just keep it in the closet? I also think that doubt seems to show its ugly teeth most often when we ARE tapering!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had saved the source where I read it; I was browsing through so many things that night to make myself feel better, I cannot remember what the source was :( I think it makes sense for elite runners who are used to running 100+ mile weeks- that they are bound to have bad runs and they are OK with it. When I run a 45 mile week and 20 of those miles seem bad, I get nervous. Oh well...
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