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I missed my mid week workout and hadn't been on a run since Sunday. Working from home on Fridays provides an opportunity to get in a few miles in the morning. An early business call provided a scheduling challenge. Despite my chronic tendency to procrastinate before running, I managed to get out before 7:00 AM and was rewarded with a cloudy sky that kept the temperature down. The humidity was another story.
My running experiences have gone from being exciting efforts that occasionally produced performance breakthroughs to embarrassingly slow cookie cutter efforts. I've used the excuse that I have to watch my speed to prevent further issues with my lower back. Even I don't buy that anymore. I think it's come down to the fact that I've lost the will and the knack for running fast.
The thing is, I haven't consciously backed off on the throttle. Most of the runs I do today feel as difficult as the ones I did three years ago. The difference between now and then is measured in minutes per mile. Every time I go out for a run, I think about going to the track and running repeats. I don't have any hope of managing 52 second 200's as I've done in the past, but it would be great to break a nine minute mile once in a while.
I keep telling myself that increasing base past 6 miles will make it easier to maintain speed on shorter runs. I know from half marathon training that there's some truth to that. But I haven't felt the motivation to push beyond a certain perceived effort. The mind has to accept the challenge before the body can perform.
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Up the mileage, then worry about speed. Peter likes to use his age (your age) as an excuse for loss of speed, as well. I don't buy it. Did you register for the Hoka Mile?
ReplyDeleteMy speed decline has been too precipitous to blame my age. My recent trip to the doctor produced reams of data and nothing was out of whack or indicative of a problem. I can generate a little speed but I can't sustain it. I agree with your first sentence. If that a Hanson concept?
DeleteI'll be at the Hoka but I'm not gonna wear them.
Hanson, Pfitzinger, Daniels, Runner's World, etc. Most agree that the more miles you put in, the faster you will become.
DeleteWhy aren't you going to wear Hokas? Is there something wrong with them? Do you not like the way they look? Are you prejudiced against clowns?
DeleteUnless Hoka gives them out at the race I won't be wearing them. Even if they do give them out I won't be wearing them. I have a profoundly deep fear of clowns. They know what they did.
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