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April 29, 2024

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Location:

SLC,UT,

Member Since:

Apr 28, 2011

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

PR Table and Notable Races

Marathon:
2:21:12 (Chicago); 2:20:41 (CIM)

Half Marathon: 1:05:45 (Long Beach)
10K: 30:03 (Portland)

All race results:
2011 - 2012 - 2013 - 2014 - 2015 - 2016

Personal:

   

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Went up to Solitude, with no goals other than to ski around and find a cool viewpoint...

While snapping some photos, I remembered the day Andrea and I skied a great line off that ridge (Stupid Chute, left of center) and realized it was exactly two years ago today. There was SO MUCH snow that winter. 

I'll try running again at some point. Not today, though. I don't really feel like it. That's like 6 days in a row... definitely the most downtime since I got serious about running again.

Spent a lot of time thinking about my March/April training this spring during my solo travels over the past couple days. For two marathons in a row, I had something "big" planned just about two months after the marathon. And two times in a row, I'm not even going to make it to the starting line of that second event. When I look at most (but not all) of my best performances, I've had a very large chunk of "old school" base training come first, before I started jumping into workouts. I didn't do that this time, and forced the issue because the 25K was on the horizon. Instead of letting it come naturally, I pressed too hard, tried to force the fitness, and I paid the price. Sometimes you get away with it, and sometimes you don't. I should have backed off a few weeks ago when my workouts were consistently a little subpar, and I knew I was a little off. The best I can do now is learn from my mistakes and not repeat them three times. 

Comments
From DaleG on Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 16:06:06 from 98.202.43.67

You're only human. Everyone makes mistakes.

From Lily on Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 16:07:21 from 67.199.178.95

How are you going to get some old school, base training? Assuming that's what you're planning on doing...

From Jake K on Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 16:16:46 from 67.177.11.154

What I mean is just a chunk of time where I just run, as much as I feel like. Boston '12 got me in the best shape I've been in. The result of that race was obviously not fast, but in terms of my fitness, Mar/Apr/May/Jun of last year was a high point for me. Before I even started the workouts for that marathon buildup, I did ~8 weeks of 100-140 mpw... just running and occasional surges thrown in, but nothing highly structured. That laid the foundation for much harder workouts the rest of the winter and spring.

I don't know exactly what direction I go in now... it depends on how my body bounces back. But, that is just something I've been thinking about. That approach, however, takes a ton of patience, and really de-emphasizes any local/non-target races along the way. I need to figure out what my primary goals are first.

From Lily on Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 16:23:08 from 67.199.178.95

Okay, this makes sense. I bet the body responds to going back to the basics really well. Glad I read this. Perhaps it is what I need to do too. I keep getting a beat down.

From allie on Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 16:26:58 from 97.126.221.226

it's just way too easy to make mistakes in this sport. i was telling james this morning that i can't BELIEVE the mistakes i made (at several different points) after the woodlands this year. i knew what i needed to do to avoid injury, and somehow i found myself going directly against my plan despite spotting the mistakes *as they were happening* and yet still going forward with it because it was on the schedule (i HAVE to do scavenger runs!)

my biggest problem was my focus on the slc half. i had it in my mind as a goal/PR race, and i jumped back into running too soon because i could feel the clock ticking and i got uneasy. it turns out that my lack of patience was the exact reason why i went flopping into that race instead of going in strong. it's just so hard to balance.

anyway, you know all of this. i'm just taking advantage of the fact that this comment box doesn't have a character limit.

good luck as you rehab the hamstring. i'm glad you are finding other things to do that are enjoyable and help take your mind off running, while at the same time help you to think things through.

ps - james has crayola meb shoes now. you have to make fun of him a bunch.

From Jake K on Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 16:43:25 from 67.177.11.154

I'm also being exceptionally hard on myself, which is probably a bigger part of the problem. The mental ups and downs sometimes wear you our more than the physical fluctuations. When I knew that was happening, that's when I should have just gone back to running 25 miles a day at 8 minute pace :-)

But then again, if I didn't tweak my hammy, and caught fire, then I would look back and think everything I did was perfect!

The main thing is... Sugar House Relays.

From Steve on Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 00:24:49 from 66.87.113.187

I don't see it as mistakes. One in million runners ever accomplish what you already have. You didn't do that by not taking chances, you run on the edge sometimes. A foot is going to slip off that edge here or there and you're going to have to stepback and regroup. It's just a sign you are pushing it. Dreaming and failing to reach your dreams is the best part of this whole ridiculous endeavor.

From Bam on Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 02:28:30 from 89.126.28.24

Relax. Let the hammy heal. Try to step away from running for a few weeks. Clear the mind. Then, when 'you' are ready, start again.

Don't panic. You have plenty of time to reach the qualifying time. And, if you choose to, you will. I think you will choose to go after it and I think you'll run 2:16 - no problems.

What makes life so much fun is the fact that we mess up and do things that we know for sure we shouldn't do. Afterwards, we say, why on earth did I do that? I'll tell you something, Jake, you'll still be doing it when you get to fifty:) That's what's great about this mad journey.

Keep the training simple and logical and you will not go too far wrong. But equally, look at why you levelled out. The answer's in there and it's simple. You just need a little bit of time and then the 'penny' will drop.

There's no point me or anybody else telling you what's what, you've got to find it for yourself. But don't beat yourself up over it. The clue is in it's simplicity...

Go have a beer.

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