The Next Big Thing
For six weeks I completely stopped looking at any and all races and training plans. Frankly it was just too depressing to think about. But as I begin to transition from injured runner to actually-running runner, I am starting to look at my race schedule again. After scrapping my plans for the North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Miler on June 2nd I'm left to look ahead to the next big thing on my calendar: The 20in24 Lone Ranger Ultra Marathon.
This race is something that I absolutely do not want to give up for three main reasons:
1) It's a 24-hour race, so really whether I can only run 10 miles by that point or 100 (ha!), I'm still going to do some portion of the race. The registration shall not be wasted!
2) The 8.4 mile loop course is one that I run all the time. It's flat. It's on pavement. I could run it in my sleep (and most likely will during the night portion of the race). No steep hills or rocky trails to contend with. No surprises.
3) It's in mid-July, thereby giving me an extra 1.5 months past when the 50-miler was going to be. So, I now have 3.5 months to get in gear and prepare for "the next big thing."
The Non-Plan Training Plan
15 weeks. That's what I got. I have no idea how many miles I want to try and run during the race yet and I have absolutely no intention of writing any sort of training plan. Training plans are the whole reason I'm in this mess to begin with. Hopefully I have not lost too much running endurance in the last six weeks since I've been keeping up cross training 5-ish days a week. I'm just going to take it day by day and then week by week, maybe plotting things out just 7 days in advance. Who knows, maybe I will never use a training plan again!
The point is - until I can trust myself again to make ME the number one priority and not what it says on a piece of paper, I will not be using any sort of plan.
Tell me - Do you always have a training plan in place? Or do you run by feel?
For six weeks I completely stopped looking at any and all races and training plans. Frankly it was just too depressing to think about. But as I begin to transition from injured runner to actually-running runner, I am starting to look at my race schedule again. After scrapping my plans for the North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Miler on June 2nd I'm left to look ahead to the next big thing on my calendar: The 20in24 Lone Ranger Ultra Marathon.
 |
| At last year's 20in24 Midnight Madness |
1) It's a 24-hour race, so really whether I can only run 10 miles by that point or 100 (ha!), I'm still going to do some portion of the race. The registration shall not be wasted!
2) The 8.4 mile loop course is one that I run all the time. It's flat. It's on pavement. I could run it in my sleep (and most likely will during the night portion of the race). No steep hills or rocky trails to contend with. No surprises.
3) It's in mid-July, thereby giving me an extra 1.5 months past when the 50-miler was going to be. So, I now have 3.5 months to get in gear and prepare for "the next big thing."
The Non-Plan Training Plan
15 weeks. That's what I got. I have no idea how many miles I want to try and run during the race yet and I have absolutely no intention of writing any sort of training plan. Training plans are the whole reason I'm in this mess to begin with. Hopefully I have not lost too much running endurance in the last six weeks since I've been keeping up cross training 5-ish days a week. I'm just going to take it day by day and then week by week, maybe plotting things out just 7 days in advance. Who knows, maybe I will never use a training plan again!
The point is - until I can trust myself again to make ME the number one priority and not what it says on a piece of paper, I will not be using any sort of plan.
Tell me - Do you always have a training plan in place? Or do you run by feel?
That one sounds like a great one to work towards since it it is no set distance. I'm not hard set training plan person, more of a guideline based on how I feel type!
ReplyDeleteSmart and awesome goals! I've done it the last two years, but will most likely just be volunteering this year. If you need a pacer in the wee hours, let me know!!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely take you up on that! That is, if I'm still alive in the wee hours.
Delete