Recently during training, I've been thinking a lot about a post our MVS track coach Sharon posted about a month ago. She got it from another coach friend from the UK:
"Athletes.... overestimate what they can do in the SHORT TERM,
but underestimate what they can do in the LONG TERM.
but underestimate what they can do in the LONG TERM.
Short term and instant gratification is definitely a scourge of modern day life. Businesses, politicians and endurance athletes are all guilty of this behaviour.
Sustainable fitness takes years to develop and the process of doing so is not glamorous. Every single “breakthrough” workout where you bust your previous PB (and share on Facebook or Instagram) is accompanied by dozens and dozens of “humdrum” workouts which provide the foundation.
The possibilities for your future fitness are limitless. It’s true that you are only restricted by your mindset. Yes, there are genetic limits to what most of us can achieve but most of us don’t even come close to reaching those limits.
If I can share some advice as a coach (and if you are wondering, an athlete who has also had his share of chasing unrealistic goals) this is it….
Have compassion for your body, especially if you are recovering from injury, illness or you are just getting older
Be patient and understand that you can’t outrun a bad diet or outdo your physiology
Think about what happens beyond your next event
Be cautious about your short term goals and reckless with your long term goals
Focus on sustainable long term health and know that when you get the basics right the great performances will follow
Forget about the clock and emphasise mastery of the process." - Simon Ward
Be patient and understand that you can’t outrun a bad diet or outdo your physiology
Think about what happens beyond your next event
Be cautious about your short term goals and reckless with your long term goals
Focus on sustainable long term health and know that when you get the basics right the great performances will follow
Forget about the clock and emphasise mastery of the process." - Simon Ward
How many small changes have been made over the years that can help long term progress? (This mindset/ side effect of running is one of my favorites.)
1. It started 10 years ago with a friend convincing me to run a half marathon. I'll never forget the first day she "made" me run 9 miles and I was terrified and pained and ate so much bacon after. (*Ok so it really started 20 years ago when I ran in high school, but there was a 5-6 year hiatus after that, so does it really count? Meh.)
2. 8 years ago, I signed up for my first marathon. I set out for the first time with my water belt to run 10 miles on a hot summer day and thought, "WHAT was I THINKING?!?"
3. 7 years ago, I joined a track club and ran my second marathon.
4. Then we had Zoe. This was a whole different brand of running. I ran 7 marathons, all around 4 hours, and 4 days/wk of running 30 miles/wk. 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. It turns out if you do the same thing over and over again, your results stay the same. :) 3:59. 4:10. 4:09. 3:57. 4:12. I ran some fast halfs (halves? Halfs.) but there is a big difference between running a 1:45 half and a 4 hour marathon. Getting over that 16 mile glycogen slump is tricky.
(Remember Coach Tom Derderian's quote on NPR? "It is not that hard for a healthy person to move her body over 26 miles. The real trick, and the real challenge, is to do so quickly.")
Last year I found it within me to make little changes without upending the balance of time with Zoe and school responsibilities, etc.
5. I ran 5 days a week instead of 4.
6. I'd go out and run 6 miles at a time instead of 5.
7. I ran 15 milers on my cut-back weeks instead of 12.
8. I bought a treadmill. These filled in the gaps when it had previously been too dark, too cold, too snow-stormy, whatever, to be able to run or make it to the gym.
5. I ran 5 days a week instead of 4.
6. I'd go out and run 6 miles at a time instead of 5.
7. I ran 15 milers on my cut-back weeks instead of 12.
8. I bought a treadmill. These filled in the gaps when it had previously been too dark, too cold, too snow-stormy, whatever, to be able to run or make it to the gym.
Those changes resulted in another 4:09 at Boston 2018 but with a 27mph headwind, personally I translate to a time drop of at least 10 minutes ;) CHANGE MY MIND.
This year has brought a totally different routine of getting to pick Zoe up from kindergarten!! at 2:45, changing my availability at school, and meaning I have to find more creative ways to fit in the miles. I've been managing to run 4-5 days a week. Mostly. BUT,
9. I'm running track, which I have not done during a marathon training season since 2012.
10. I'm running 20's every weekend, whereas I used to run 20-12-20-12-20.
11. I always run the day after the long run, which I did inconsistently in the past. (And you know what? It's not that bad. It's actually nice since the last few miles I banged out were at the end of a 20 miler when I felt simply terrible, and the next day is a terrific reminder that this too shall pass!!)
10. I'm running 20's every weekend, whereas I used to run 20-12-20-12-20.
11. I always run the day after the long run, which I did inconsistently in the past. (And you know what? It's not that bad. It's actually nice since the last few miles I banged out were at the end of a 20 miler when I felt simply terrible, and the next day is a terrific reminder that this too shall pass!!)
It's hard to say what results this plan will bring, since my legs are definitely tired. Running track workouts on Thursdays makes for interesting Saturday long runs, and 3-20 miler's in a row has worn me out too.
Speaking of tired, I ran from Hopkinton to the base of Heartbreak Hill yesterday (20.5 miles- I'd forgotten that Heartbreak was at 21. How many times have we done this now?) - and it was...Boston. I knew it would be hard, and it didn't disappoint. Again, the first 5 miles of the course are downhill, which destroys your quads due to eccentric quad contraction. It's tough to find a route that mimics this, so training on the course is essential. I held back, knowing what was coming, and thank goodness I did. The halfway into Wellesley is also downhill, which always brings this unsettling feeling that the Newton hills are looming just around the corner.
("What goes down, must come up," I thought. "Wait... no. What comes down must go up?... No... What comes up, must go down? Oh for crying out loud.")
("What goes down, must come up," I thought. "Wait... no. What comes down must go up?... No... What comes up, must go down? Oh for crying out loud.")
The Boston Marathon route is not pretty through the first half. Hopkinton and Ashland aren't bad, but there's a pretty long stretch through Framingham that's run down and/or commercialized. And yet, of course, we love it.
There's the pub on the left where everyone is out drinking at 11am. There's Brasili's restaurant in Framingham which always reminds me of Mike Brassil, and the Framingham train station. There's the hill where a very large man in a Santa suit stands every year. There's where the Wellesley girls cheer, and there's the church steeple that means I'm within minutes of finding Jon, Zoe, Jen, and Brooke at mile 14. There's the Wellesley library... there's Whole Foods... there's the Wellesley library... wait. There's 2 Wellesley libraries? ... There's where Jon and I stood in Wellesley the year of the bombing. There's the Newton Fire House.
Pulling up to the Newton-Wellesley hospital, and approaching the Newton Fire House, I always get the same mixed emotions. This is it. This is why we came. It's about to get EXCITING. But also, an image of Dustin Hoffman playing Hook, sharpening his hook on a stone while pinning Robin Williams/Peter Pan under the other arm, as he sneers in a British accent, "This is really going to hurt."
Yep. It sure did yesterday. My legs were so done, but also I'd forgotten to eat during the run. I need to get my race fueling back under control. My dad and I found each other around mile 20.5, as Heartbreak came into view. I'd set out to do 20, had done it, and wasn't feeling great. I considered trekking up the hill, considered the fact that I'd been faced with a similar choice last year and had fallen, and decided to get in the car. It wasn't a fail. I'd set out to do 20, and had underestimated how far Heartbreak was. I'll get it next time.
I giggled at some song lyrics I listened to yesterday, twisting them for what I needed: (Animals by Neon Trees.)
Here we are again
I feel the chemicals kickin' in
It's gettin' heavier
I wanna run and hide
I wanna run and hide
I do it every time
You're killin' me now
And I won't be denied by you
The animal inside of you
I feel the chemicals kickin' in
It's gettin' heavier
I wanna run and hide
I wanna run and hide
I do it every time
You're killin' me now
And I won't be denied by you
The animal inside of you
Oh, oh
I want some more
Oh, oh
What are you waitin' for?
Take a bite of (*Heartbreak) tonight
I think that's enough for tonight.
"Best wishes, and see you out there in 10 years time." -Simon Ward
