late September early October 9/28-10/18

 9/28 Rest

9/29 Rest

9/30 12.7 miles around Gaston MS

10/1 13.2 miles around Norbuck

10/2 13.8 miles around Norbuck

10/3 20.1 around lake and Baylor

10/4 20.1 around lake and Baylor

80 miles during the week

10/5 Rest

10/6 13 miles around Norbuck

10/7 9 miles around Gaston MS

10/8 11 miles around lake

10/9 9 miles around Gaston MS

10/10 20.1 around lake and Baylor

10/11 20.1 around lake and Baylor

82 miles during the week

10/12 rest

10/13 9 around Gaston MS

10/14 rest

10/15 16 around norbuck

10/16 15 around norbuck

10/17 20.1 around lake and Baylor

10/18 20.1 around lake and Baylor

Overall the miles felt good and was able to rotate between early and evening runs.  I enjoy going to Norbuck due to change in terrain.  It's good to write and reflect on the consistent mileage.  The last week I've been having some stomach issues which is why I rested an extra day,  but after getting some medicine for it hopeful next week will go smoother.

Audio Book Review

The Good Neighbor Fred Rogers By Maxwel King

Excellent book on the background of Fred Rogers.  I didn't know his father was a business man with great influence and lots of monetary wealth.  It was refreshing to hear how Mr. Rogers lived his life and how he valued his mission.  I enjoyed learning about all that went into the show and how he treated others.  His famous phrase of look for the helpers in times of need was very influential for me personally.  This is a great book on hope and demonstrate how character can influence many.

The New Jim Crow By Michelle Alexander

Excellent must read book on social justice and how the national policy on policing has affected many.  The book details the different methods that have been implemented at a national level and policies that have affected generations of Americans.  The book mentions how minorities have been disproportionally affected by mass incarceration.  For example that book mentions that both white and black Americans have similar drug use, yet black Americans are 10 times more likely to get stopped by the police.  The book also mentions how all Americans are hurt by mass incarceration by explaining things like collateral damage, living with fear and insecurity, and passing on the buck of social issues to local authorities which do not have the training nor the budget to deal with.  Highly recommend the book in order to have a better understand of macro policies and how it affects micro communities nationwide.

The Nurses By Alexandra Robbins

Interesting book on the different aspects of the nursing profession.  From the training aspect, to burn out, assault, use of humor, and a female dominated profession the book provides great insight into the profession and the challenges with nursing.  Highly recommended in order to better understand some of the challenges that healthcare in America looks like in general.  I also appreciated the honesty and it made me realize some of the same challenges that I face in my own profession.  At times it was heartbreaking listening to how nurses were overworked and understaffed.  Other times the use of humor and coping was a must as not finding humor would only lead to quicker burnout. This is a must read for anyone considering the nursing profession.   

A Fighting Chance By Elizabeth Warren

Great read on the life of Senator Elizabeth Warren.  I enjoyed listening to her journey and how she was able to manage the different obstacles in her life.  From finishing college and eventually going to law school; to finding her law specialty in bankruptcy and advocating for the consumers the book took me through the different stages of her life.  I appreciated her openness and some of the struggles that she faced with things likes sexism, divorce, and relocation.  I also really enjoyed listening to her social justice advocacy with consumers who were not being informed of the predatory loans.  Would recommend the book as many of the details of the Senator I had no knowledge previous to listening to her book.

Braiding Sweet Grass By Robin Kimmerer

Interesting book on the different traditions of Western and Native Americans as it relates to the Ecology.  The author is a Biology professor who has background in both Native and Western science.  The book was fascinating because it demonstrated to me how both traditions intersects.  As the author pointed out Western science for many years have labeled culture traditions as non scientific.  The author mentions how both can serve the people and how Native American wisdom is how being shown through Western science to be useful.  The book reminded me of the importance of cultural knowledge and how it is crucial to teach this knowledge to the youth.

With school now going on I'm not sure how frequent I will be able to post, but will try my best to keep everyone updated on my journey. 
As always thank you for reading and all the best!

I think the photo was taken around 2013sh in one of the DRC races.

Sept. 14-27 Recovery

Sept. 14 Rest

Sept. 15 Rest

Sept. 16 9 miles around Gaston MS

Sept. 17 11 miles to Norbuck

Sept. 18 10.7 miles to Norbuck

Sept. 19 20 miles around WRL and Baylor

Sept. 20 20 miles around WRL and Baylor

Week 71 miles

Sept. 21 Rest

Sept. 22 11 miles to Norbuck

Sept. 23 11 miles to Norbuck

Sept. 24 Rest

Sept. 25 13 miles to Norbuck 

Sept. 26 20 miles around WRL and Baylor

Sept. 27 20 miles around WRL and Baylor 

Week 75 miles

Recovery

After 2 weeks of the virtual marathon I have done my best to get back into the routine of things.  As previously mentioned I didn't really decrease mileage and have tried to do my best to get back into the mix of things, but it hasn't been easy.  After taking 2 days off I went out for a run and it was painful physically and took a lot of mental strength.  My quads were still hurting from the lactic acid, but did my best to get through the runs.  I did my best to stretch and massage the legs but it was a struggle to get through the runs.  One thing that did help was the general cooler weather which was much appreciated.

This week I still had the fatigue and tried my best to get the runs in.  On Thursday as I woke up to go run, I felt a sharp pain on the right calf and decided to take the day off instead.  I had a large muscle knot by the calf and knew that running on sharp pain would lead to a injury so decided to give it a rest.  On Friday I could tell the pain was still there and just measured myself to get through the run.  I want to adapt as best as I can to the stress, but also realize that sharp pains are not good and will only lead to further damage, so it's a delicate balance.  

On the weekend I was able to get the 20 milers in by slowing down and using some calf sleeves.  It's been years  since I put them on and they certainly helped.  Some of the muscles were super sore but just by being smart I was able to get the volume done. Today especially it was hot and humid weather I struggled to get the run, but glad I was able to finish it.  At mile 9 I contemplated turning to the house, but mentally had to get through the negative thinking.

Sleep

These last two weeks I've noticed the importance of sleep for the recovery process.  I'm one of the people that needs around 9 to 10 hours of sleep in order to recover from the body stress; and these weeks have certainly helped me realize that.  As I continue with the high volume low intensity method, I understand that time on my feet stresses the body and with that there needs to be time to recover from it.

As I go for long term results and use the step method, I'm finding that being consistent with sleep is just as important as getting the runs in.  Especially when I'm feeling things like a muscle knot, or muscle pain if I'm not sleeping well I'm not allowing my body to recover.

Nutrition

Another important component I've found is nutrition.  I try and stay hydrate as best as I can by checking my urine color and being sure to have a water bottle close to me and use salt pills in order to help with the hydration.

I also have a pretty normalized pattern of eating habits.  In the morning I tend to have a bread along with some milk and fruit.  During lunch I normally have a sandwich along with some carbs such as  veggie chips, fig bars, ect.  Then during lunch I tend to vary depending on the day.  Things like tacos, pasta, fish, chicken, among other things.  I've found that just getting a variety of things help, and trying to get have a consistent schedule is what helps in getting the nutritional needs for recovery.

Looking Ahead

As it gets cooler I'm looking forward to the cooler weather and hope that in the coming weeks I'll be completely recovered in order to get back to normal mileage.  About five weeks out from Fort Worth marathon so plan on getting some good runs in before decreasing mileage.  Thank you for reading and all the best.

                                         After finishing Boston Marathon in 2019 with a 2:50

September 7-13 Boston Virtual Run

 September 7 11.3 miles around Gaston MS

September 8 11.2 miles around Gaston MS

September 9 Rest

September 10 13 miles around WRL with 2 miles at marathon pace

September 11 8.6 miles around Gaston MS

September 12 Rest

September 13 26.2 miles Boston Virtual Run 2.5 times around WRL

Total Mileage for the Week 72

Virtual splits

1-6:46

2-6:47

3-6:46

4-6:44

5-6:31

6-6:51

7-6:50

8-6:57

9-6:58

10-6:48

11-7:05

12-6:44

13-6:25. 1/2 way around high 1:28 low 1:29

14-6:21

15-6:51

16-7:01

17-7:07

18-7:28

19-7:28

20-7:23

21-7:32

22-7:23

23-6:50

24-6:43

25-6:44

26-7:11

.2-6:44

Elapsed time 3:02:15  Second split 1:33

So this week was the Boston Virtual Run on Sunday and overall it was a great event and I’m glad that I was able to be apart of it at the Lake. Several local clubs like the Dallas Running Club, White Rock Co-Op, Rogue among others had a hydration/cheering station and they were terrific.  Definitely helped in providing motivation throughout the course.

 Breakdown of the Boston Virtual Run

Pre-race

Decided that I was just going to run from my house toward the lake the week before.  The official start finish was from norbuck park but running from my house down to the lake was just more convenient and time saving. I prepared my clothes and equipment, such as my gu’s, water bottle, salt pills, heart strap the night before so I would be ready.  When I woke up I looked at the weather and it read 72 degrees with 86% humidity.   I decided to start at 5:20am from my house in order to get the early miles before the sun came out. I also decided to run with a water bottle as I wanted to make sure I had hydration during the race. After grabbing all my stuff and making sure I didn’t forget anything I stepped outside and without a warm up I started the clock!

The Run Breakdown

As I ran towards the lake I was suppose to meet Albert by the bath house who provided company during the first loop of the lake.  But before I did that I noticed at sunset bay a group that I recognized, it was some of the Rockwall Running Club runners who were also doing the virtual run.  I ran across the parking lot gave them cheers for their own run and then headed towards the bath house.  At the stone tables I saw Albert and also saw my watch with miles splits around 6:45sh, and thought okay stay around that pace if you can but more importantly try and run within your heart target rate.  As we headed towards the spillway I made sure to keep the heart rate steady and not deviate too much from the pace.  Passed the cheering station, and passed the RRC runners which were running in a group.  Then headed towards the west side of the lake.  The morning was still very dark and I was careful not to step on any uneven ground, but for the most part the pace was steady and I felt like it was something that I could control.  As Albert and I reached the east side of the lake it got lighter and was able to see much better.  Once we got to Sunset bay again I saw that I was at a high 1:28/low 1:29 half, and a little bit later Albert turned around to go back to his house.  I’m very grateful for Albert’s willingness to come out, and run the first loop with me as it was dark and having someone next to you keeping a steady pace certainly helped to get it down.  I took a gu at mile 5 and 10, as well as salt pills for hydration.

Second Half

At Winfrey I was now running by myself and holding a steady pace.  At the spillway I stopped at the DRC hydration station where everyone was so friendly and supportive and helped fill up my water bottle.  After passing the spillway I was now at the west side of the lake again and the sun was now up and bright.  The day had high humidity and I realized continuing to take the hydration was vital.  Running clockwise around the lake meant having the sun in your face, and I could tell I was sweating a lot.  I kept going steady and one thing that I remember is the mileage that I have been putting in especially during the hot months of the year and how I could certainly manage the weather.  As I was approaching the north side of the lake I began to notice my heart rate going higher.  At mile 15 I took some more salt pills and gu in order to stay hydrated as much as I possibly could.  At about mile 18 my heart rate was approaching high 170s, low 180s which for me is high, so I told myself to stay calm and get the HR back down to 170.  My pace got higher for the next 4 miles low to mid 7 minute pace, but I wanted to avoid a collapse and would rather have a steady heart rate for the remaining miles of the run. At mile 20 I took some more salt pills for hydration, my stomach started to feel sensitive so decided against another gu.

Once I hit the last 3 miles I was fortunate enough to have encountered Diego & Jose Barraza who were on their bikes and both of them accompanied me until the end.  Originally I had planned a out and back finish at Winfrey but I knew a little further down was the DRC water station and they had been so fantastic on the first and second loop that I decided to finish there and act like the water station was the finish line!  I got a second wind those last 3 miles and started to push the pace with Diego & Jose nearby on the bikes.  The last few miles almost seemed like the first few miles and although I was tired I certainly felt in control of the run I really enjoyed them and felt like I could keep going.  Once I got to the spillway I did a short U-turn and finished right were the DRC water station was to the cheers of the group.  Three hours two minutes and fifteen seconds is what my clock read when I finished.  Mimi, Aki, and others were quick to provide the hydration and I was super thankful for all there help.  Also thankful for Diego who took many good picture and sent them to me so that I could remember the event.  After recovering a bit, I went back home and used the mile and half to cool down and cheer the other runs as they were coming by.

Grateful

The support was amazing, the local volunteers gave there time bought signs, and provided cheers to the runners doing the virtual run.  I’m deeply thankful to them and even though the Boston Marathon was not able to take place, running from my house to the lake was definitely a memorial experience.

The conditions were tough with the sun out and the high humidity, but I think overall managed to keep a steady pace and be in control of the run.  Even when things got tough I’m glad that I didn’t panic, but instead acted rationale and adjusted based on my bodies feedback.  I’m also grateful to those that helped, it was great having others just being so willing to lend a hand and being so supportive.  I’m truly grateful for the experience and even though this year looks much different than last, it has certainly made me appreciate the sport and all of those involved in the sport.

Next steps

After the race and going back home I took a much needed rest and tried my best to re-hydrate and replenish.  Will see how my body recovers and will take it day by day to get back into my routine.  I didn't really taper for the run, just ran it off the mileage I've been doing. The virtual run has certainly provided some confidence that with the coming fall and cooler weather I will be able to lower some of the paces for my run.  Finally, again I want to end with saying how grateful I am for those that assisted, helped and made the virtual Boston run very memorable.  Thank you for reading and all the best!

Photo Credits to Diego

August 31 - September 6 ROI

 August 31 Rest

September 1 11 miles around Gaston MS

Sept 2 rest

Sept 3 14 miles around Gaston MS

Sept 4 14 miles around Gaston MS

Spet 5 20 miles around WRL to Baylor 

Spet 6 20 miles around WRL to Baylor 

80 miles week

This week took  an extra rest day and ended up running 5 times.  It must have been the added mileage the last two weeks of 90 & 85 mileage, so listened to my body and took the added rest day to help with the fatigue.  No regrets in the added rest day as I was still able to get to the 80 miles this week, with some added miles.  The runs felt okay overall, with the weather still having mixture of cooler fronts and heat its a pleasant adjustment, from the summer usual heat.  Also the allergies seem to be getting better so that a plus overall.  Next Sunday, the 13th will be the virtual Boston run so next week looking forward to that event.  The plan in to do 2 and a half loops around White Rock Lake and stay at a steady pace, so will report back how it turns out.  Several clubs such as the Dallas running club, rouge running, and White Rock Co-op are organizing water stations for it so very grateful for that.

Also I'm now registered for a fall marathon which will be in November. The Forth Worth Marathon which will be in person, with a limited field, so after putting in the mileage since March, I am excited to have that event in approximately 2 months.  I think I'm in good shape and this will be a opportunity to race.

ROI

If you are into finance or investing one frequent acronym is the Return On Investment.  ROI refers to if I invest in something what will be  my expected return on what I invest in.  For example if I purchase a 100k house, what do I expect to make in return if I rent it?  If I follow the 1% rule on that house I would expect a rental payment of 1,000 a month and from there I can pay the house down to build equity and gain into my net worth.  Once the house is payed off 100% of that payment will will go into the investor hands and that investor can then decide what next venture they would like to tackle along with the equity of the house.

In the world of running ROI can be very similar.  For example a novice runner with a consistent training of say 6-12 month can have massive ROI improvements.  I have seen runners that have gone from 4 hour marathons to 3 hour marathons in a span of a year. For some these improvements will be drastic as the training starts to take shape and the dividends start to pay off in massive leaps so to speak.  Yet, there is also a steep drop off once you reach a point were the massive dividends begin to plateau.  For example that 4 hour marathoner that is now a 3 hour marathoner, will begin to see less and less improvement and may very likely start to see regression.

At the drop off point, one has a choice.  Do I keep running knowing my improvement will likely not continue? Or am I okay with maintaining my current state and trusting my training that in the long term although minimal improvement I can still improve? Also with age others factors would have to be considered as well.

Every runner has to answer that question and this is were intrinsic motivation becomes crucial.  For myself now that I have been running for 2 decades, I am beginning to understand this process and how nothing is life is guaranteed, but trusting the training and the long term process I'm okay with regardless of short term results.

So what is your ROI?

So then the question becomes what is your ROI?  Going from a 4 hour marathon to a 3 hour marathon is definitely not easy or simple.  But for that person to continue to shoot for a 2:55 marathon is understanding the point of diminishing returns and still continue to push for excellence, has nothing but respect from my point of view.

And that is were I find myself, continuing to push even if as a 35 year old I may not break my personal best that I set 8 years ago I am at least happy that I can give it a fighting shot. When I watched the last dance, one thing that impressed me about MJ was his attitude and willingness to fight regardless of how many championships he had already won. MJ lifted the whole team to a whole new level, even is some questioned his tactics the results was the same.

Many can have short term improvement, but to continue to do so long term certainly takes a whole other level.

Final Thoughts

The training is going well and the mileage has been consistent.  Next week looking forward to the Boston Virtual run and excited that I'm now signed up for a fall marathon!  Thank you for reading and all the best.

Jason Trevino and I at 2019  Dallas Turkey Trot both ran low 45 min for 8 miles

8/24-8/30 Consistency

 8/24 rest

8/25 11 around Gaston MS

8/26 11 around Gaston MS

8/27 11 around Gaston MS

8/28 11 around Gaston MS

8/29 20 miles around WRL to Baylor

8/30 20 miles around WRL to Baylor

Total 85 miles

Overall the week was good.  Felt good on the weekday runs and Saturday had a big heat wave.  The 20 miler yesterday was tough, ended up with a headache due to the heat.  But today it was completely different, rained for most of the run and it was nice and cool, even had a jacket on the whole time!  The miles seemed good and I was able to continue with getting the mileage I want.  The 85 was a good number for me as I did 90 the previous week.  In two weeks will do the virtual Boston Marathon, so with the mileage I'm feeling assured.

Consistency

One of the things I'm learning especially with the pandemic is the importance of routine.  I reflect back in the past and see that many times I would try and find certain workouts or certain things to implement in order to experiment with.  As I get older and gain more experience, I'm starting to see the importance of Occam's Razor, in my case keeping it simple works.  As you have probably notices if you have read some of the past weeks, all the mileage looks very similar with little modification.  I got asked this morning when I was doing tempo workouts and my answer was I wasn't.  My goal right not is to keep it simple and focus on the mileage.  Once I get closure to some of the races and it starts to get cooler I will likely start to add some of faster paces depending on the racing schedule I start to develop.  But as of right now I just want to keep a consistency.

I'm learning that regularity trumps any workout that I can implement, and the simpler I make it the more likely I am to get it done.  I'm looking at 2-3 year long term plan so some of the work that I'm doing now is for that longer vision plan.  This is turn has helped me not let down, due to factors that I cannot control.  For example, I cannot control which races get canceled or which races will be held; but one thing I can control is my training and my mileage and as long as I control that then when the races do start to be held in person I know I will be ready.

Looking Ahead

I'm excited as the cooler weather approaches and I go out to low 70s F.  Even if I do not race in the fall, I certainly plan to enjoy the fall and winter and hope to be ready for races when they return to in person.  My confidence is gaining as I continue to be consistence and I think psychologically this is helpful as it give me momentum to stay with the mileage.  Confidence and consistency go together and I'm starting to see the relationship.  Also I cannot thank my training partner enough for the back to back 20 miles on the weekend.  Knowing that I have someone that is as motivated as I am to get 40 miles on the weekend definitely helps with my motivation. We all have challenges and set backs, little injuries or challenges that we face, but keeping each other accountable has helped. I certainly miss the races such as the DRC club races, but realize that those are things that are not in my control.

Final Thoughts

I'm learning that consistency is important and the best training plans are those that get done.  I'm looking forward to cooler weather and feel confident as I continue to get the mileage.  I'm starting to look at potential races for the fall/winter, and I'm excited to see that there will be several options available at least for now.  In a normal year summer racing wasn't as common for me due to the weather so I think this has been a good time to train.

Don't remember the year of this picture put it was one of the DRC club races.

August 17-23 Flow

  Runs

August 17 Rest 

August 18 13 miles around Gaston MS

August 19 13 miles around Gaston MS

August 20 13 miles around Gaston MS

August 21 11.4 miles around Gaston MS

August 22 20.2 WRL to Baylor Hospital

August 23 20.2 WRL to Baylor Hospital

Total 90.9 miles

What a difference as week makes!  This week felt much better in general.  Early morning miles were in cool 70 degree weather which was much different than last week.  The miles felt smoother and as you can see I was able to bump up the mileage almost 11 more than the usual.  I haven't written about it before, but I'm 4 weeks out from the Boston Marathon virtual run. Not really sure how to run it at this point, but I think a lot of it will be dependent on factors such as weather.  It will be my first virtual run, so I hope it will turn to a good experience.  Luckily several clubs around Dallas, have volunteered to assist with hydration centers which is very much appreciate it.

The mental game

So as most of you know my profession is as a mental health professional, and I try and apply many of the mental health concepts into the world of running.  One thing that particularly stood out this week was the concept of 'Flow.'  Which can be defined as a state of pure enjoyment in which one has mastered a task and has reached a level in which something difficult has become significantly easier.  In other words flow is a state of concentration when one masters a task.  The concept was made famous by the Russian Psychologist Dr. Csikzentmihalyi's.  If you haven't read the best seller it is definitely worth a read.

As the weather cooled this week, I was reminded of the concept in several ways.  First, the runs this week just felt easier, especially when I look back two weeks ago.  Second, many of the runs I was just lost in time.  During the week, I would stop counting laps and it just felt like my legs were moving effortlessly.  Finally, the mental state I though in general was much better and I was able to think clearer and asses different things have been going on in my head.  For example some of the anxiety I've been having due to the pandemic I was able to process during that time and I think it certainly helped.

The Flow Chart

This week was a good reminder of the different emotions one can experience when running and how these emotions affect the perception of a run.  When one reaches a high level of control and relaxation one is able to process things in a more congruent manner in which they can problem solve and are more aware of situations that they can control.  The chart was a great reminder of my goals and the reason for why I continue to work towards them.

Thinking Clearly

One thing that has really helps me more than any physical benefit I think when running is the notion of thinking clearly.  Sometimes when I get so caught up in a problem it can be very easy to deviate from the reality and to take a path that hinders the problem solving process.  It has been through engaging in exercise that I have had my best ideas, and some of the issues I have faced I have been able to gain a greater perspective just by running.  The thoughts become more manageable and the locus of control begins to take shape.  If I were to pin point one of the main benefits of running, I think this notion of reaching flow and being able to process situations better would probably be on the top of my list.

Not Linear

As this chart illustrates this process is not linear.  Much like running and being able to achieve peak performance most of the time it is not a linear process.  As I ran the Houston Marathon in January of this year I was on pace to attempt to break my Personal Record, until I hit miles 20+, I was certain I was in peak shape and even though I wasn't able to break my all time PR I did run my second best marathon ever. Looking back I don't regret a thing and I was glad I was able to challenge the time to my limit.  So keeping things in perspective is important, and I certainly think that as I continue to put in the mileage and the work, a PR in the near future is certainly realistic even if that PR is from 2012.

Final Thoughts

The week has reminded me of many things.  One of those is the one of the main influences for my why?  Overall the weather assisted and the added mileage has given me confidence that I am able to continue go get the mileage and the runs in. Thank you for reading my thoughts and all the best!

Houston Marathon 2020

August 10-16 Question & Honesty

 August 10 rest

August 11 11 miles Around Gaston MS

August 12 11 miles Around Gaston MS

August 1312.5 miles Around Gaston MS

August 14 13 miles Around Gaston MS

August 15 16 miles Around Gaston MS & Forest Hills

August 16 16 miles Around Gaston MS & Forest Hills

80 miles total

So this week was HOT! All of the six runs this week I ended up completely drenched with sweat.  Some of the runs I had to leave the school early to either head home or run the extra miles in more shaded areas.  I know long term these runs will help, but in the moment the heat is definitely tough. In order to cope with the triple digits, I have started taking my water bottle one every run.  Before that I would only carry the water bottle on longer runs.  I'm also taking salt pills every day, and adding gu's as needed.  I bough some boxes of cliff GU's and they certainly help especially for the longer runs to give me a bit of a boost. I also tend to sweat a great deal so certainly trying to take precautions with the heat.  The good news is that next week seems to be cooler with a low of 74 instead of the 82's this week, so certainly looking forward to the cooler weather.

Curious why no concern about pace and also why no recovery run, tempo run etc. is this simply a different method? As I want to improve should I simply just add more slow mileage or do you think different types of runs are better?

So last week I received a multipart question and I decided to try and answer it as best as I could on this week entry.  The first part of the questions deals with differentiation of runs.  So in many training plans you have intervals, hill, tempo, fartlek workouts which are considered in one form or another speed development training.  The question asked why I wasn't running any of those types of workout.  The answer is simple that I'm working on my base phase per Lydiard's training and my main concern is to get the mileage and time on my feet.  Also because of the summer heat in Dallas, it's just tough to do any speed workout so I have to choose what to focus on.  Arthur Lydiard mentions how miles and getting a foundation is the crucial part to any training program.  Once the weather cools naturally my training runs become faster and I start to pick up the pace.  

Also related to this I'm not concerned about pace, because as mentioned previously the weather is a factor and I'm just wanting time on my feet.  For myself I'm not looking at changing paces in a race, for the races I have done I have a set heart rate and I attempt to stay within a range.  For a competitive athlete who is looking at winning a marathon for example this would certainly be different.

The next part is more difficult to answer.  I cannot say what others should or shouldn't do since what may work for me won't necessarily work for others.  I would just encourage others to look are your running history and see what has worked and hasn't worked in the past.  Also I like to look at thing in the long term since I have been running for 20+ years now.  Most of what I do is looking at the long term and trying to see how I am able to improve/sustain performance throughout the years. I have seen many local runners with great talent come and go, and I certainly would rather have a long term approach to running, since it has certainly benefited me in many aspects of my life. Thanks for the question.

Being Honest with Yourself

So this week I have been contemplating the idea of being honest.  Honesty is difficult and many people don't want to hear or face the truth.  I'll admit that many times I have not been honest with myself and have been in a state of lying for several reasons.  For example, not accepting your level of fitness, or not acknowledging what your body is feeling.  By not being honest with yourself you put yourself in a position of increasing things like injury, burn out, or simply not enjoying running.

When I was a younger runner I now look back and see how not being honest with myself affected my training.  Many times I was not honest with my own training and pretended that I was in a certain shape when I wasn't.  In a race I only ended up disappointed as ultimately the truth prevailed.  Running is a neat sport because it forces you to be honest with yourself and eventually the truth comes out.

As I reflect on this week I'm  realizing to be congruent with myself and being okay with certain things.  Even if it's not the way I want it or would like to see it, I'm learning just to accept it and work towards something better if it is not satisfactory for certain reasons. As mentioned above it's not that I don't care about my pace, at a certain level I do care since I would like to continue to challenge my PR; but I acknowledge that factors that I cannot control such as the weather are hindering the pace and how my body reacts to how fast the body moves.

When one is posing or not being honest with oneself in order to put a front, it will only lead to disappointment in the long term.  This is something difficult since it's easier to pretend than to be honest with yourself.  Many time if you lie to yourself enough times you will start to believe them and take them a real thing.  But being okay with yourself and then working towards things you would like to improve I believe is a lot more healthy and productive to actual level 2 change.

Final Thoughts

Thank you for the question last week, don't claim to be a coach, nor am I interested as in running you have to focus on yourself.  Just want to share my ideas and have a reflective journal especially in these changing times.  Isn't that what being honest is all about?  As always thank you for reading and all the best!

Maraton Tangamanga 2019