No Days Off

SNAPSHOT

No Days Off encompasses awareness, honesty, and devotion.

DIGGING DEEPER

"KEEP YOURSELF HONEST...No Days Off is not a race towards your physical breaking point, but rather a call for moderation – a daily greasing of the groove where today’s run is only as important as what you are able to do tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that . . ." Tracksmith

I have fallen in love with the concept of being aware of your body's needs every day.  To care for your body and mind with honesty and devotion.

My body does not need to run 365 days a year but it does need to recovery from yesterday and prepare for tomorrow. I strongly suggest for a runner to have days off from running, to give the body rest.  It is only during rest that the body can repair itself and prepare for the same feats in the near future.

However, there is also a need for perseverance and devotion in order to strengthen the body and mind.  We need to run often in order to increase our abilities. Running most days for an intermediate runner causes the correct amount of adaptions.  It is when a runner gets too greedy and doesn't allow for recovery that injury and exhaustion occur.

The fine line between these two zones of recovery and training is where awareness and honesty keep us healthy. Awareness of how much we are asking of the body and the need to rest in order to become stronger keep us from overtraining.  An honest look at our weaknesses, and devotion to continue when we don't feel like it, pulls us up to our potential.

When training a runner, I seek to balance to training and recovery.  Here is a sample of an average week for an average runner that I coach.

Look at how hard days of running are balanced with easier days.  Notice that there are two days of no running but instead, they are replaced with either core strength or active recovery.  Every day the runner is progressing toward their potential and yet giving the body and mind the rest that is needed.  

Special Note: Please don't use this training schedule next week.  This runner has spent many months preparing themselves for this volume and intensity of running.  On the other side, don't be afraid of it.  This runner was not a runner one year ago.

RECOMMENDATION

I recommend using Tracksmith's No Days Off Desk Calendar or Poster.  I am giving them away on my Facebook live video on New Year's Day!

This instrument can help to keep you aware of your devotion through honestly evaluating if you cared for your body that day.  If you ran when you needed a run, then mark the calendar.  If you performed your yoga or Pilates routine in order to give yourself core strength and active recovery then mark the calendar.  On the day you truly needed an hour laying comfortably while reading instead of pounding the pavement then mark the calendar.  

The day you don't mark the calendar is when you turned away from your planned training or recovery to eat nachos and feel guilty. There will be the next day when you can accomplish and mark your calendar as a reward for your awareness, honesty, and devotion.

SOLUTION

Every day embark upon becoming stronger through either running or recovering. 

The Training Secret

Bridge of Flowers 10K 

SNAPSHOT

Slightly undertrained with daily recovery and consistency are the secrets to success.

DIGGING DEEPER

Do you wonder what the secret workout is that gets runners to the podium?  It is not so secret as you may think.  In addition, the method is not just for the elite.  

It is quite simple to explain. Train the body to adapt at it's highest possible rate without causing too much trauma or stress. Allow the adaptation to occur under the most optimal recovery circumstances.  All the while adding each adaptation upon each other without setbacks or plateaus, therefore creating a consistent training year.

Theresa Loomis racing in the YMCA 10 miler in May 2016.

The complexity is in the individual differences between each human.  One runner's maximum weekly mileage is another runner's low level. Each body is unique in its making and ability to withstand the pressures of running. We all need different amounts and elements to recover optimally.  The stress of our life intervenes with consistent training.

So what does this all boil down to?  How do you get faster, better, stronger?  Listen to your body. With the knowledge that slightly undertrained with daily recovery and consistency are the secrets to success, do as your body needs.  Train hard using your internal motivation, tread carefully the rest of the 23 hours of the day in order to recover, and plan carefully causing a consistent training schedule.

It is simple yet complex.  This is where turning to a coach will improve your running. A running coach keeps you on the right track towards appropriate training and adequate recovery.  They should be sensitive to your recovery at the same time challenging you just enough to cause adaptation and increased fitness.  A coach sets out your training plans and keeps you accountable.

Your finish time should not dictate whether you deserve a coach.  Whatever level you are running at, you still need someone to guide you. I have a coach.  Even this coach needs a coach to run optimally and to reach her potential. Reach out to a runner around you that inspires and encourages you.  Ask them to guide you through a successful 2017.

SOLUTION

Secret exposed, what are you going to do with it?

Without Purpose You Are Lost

SNAPSHOT

Purpose drives the run

DIGGING DEEPER

The first question to ask yourself is, "What is the purpose of this workout?" With a vision of what needs to be accomplished, you can rid yourself of guilt and indecisiveness, staying on the right path to your goals.

Perhaps you feel guilty that you only have thirty minutes for your easy run today. Is your guilt justified? Well if the purpose of the run was to gain weekly miles and increase your overall fitness then you may need to accept that you only can run for 30 minutes today and will need to add on the extra missing 20 minutes to another easy run later in the week.  However, if the purpose of your run was to increase blood flow and recover from a hard workout the previous day then 30 minutes of easy running will fulfill that purpose very well. The extra 20 minutes that you will miss is unneeded running and be grateful that your busyness is keeping you from overtraining.

Or say you are returning back to training and your workout calls for 4 sets of intervals. You complete three of the sets and feel spent.  You could eek out the last one using your mental superpowers. However being satisfied with the three intervals you completed will cause improvement without taxing your body to the point of overtraining or injury.  This is when you become the smart runner who performs a solid workout and leaves the last one for another day.  Your purpose was to work hard at your fast pace. Mission accomplished.

A favorite for runners is "The day off, I earned it" purpose.  That is the day where you either read an entire book, wander through your home taking the time to do as you please, or snatch the coveted nap in the sunlight coming through the window.  The purpose in this day is pleasure and recovery.  It keeps you from regretting all the devotion and time you put into running.

The important question you must ask yourself each day is, "What is the purpose of this opportunity?"

SOLUTION

It takes guts and wisdom to run with purpose.