My Training So Far

This summer is the first summer I have really gotten into running mileage. In high school, I would not run an inch all summer, go to running camp the week before practice started, run 60 miles in six days, and be ready to go. Last summer I ran about 50-60 mpw, but took days off every week due to procrastinating (or I would go out with my friends and come home at 2am and struggle through a short run). This summer I have realized that getting out the door everyday at a set time is the best solution. Sitting at my house all day, procrastinating, only makes things worse. I start to hate the fact that I have to go run, and get psyched out. Once I get out the door, however, I realize why I like to run, and am happy to get it over with.
So far, my training has been going great. At the beginning of the summer, I went to Europe with a few of my high school buddies, and as a result did not run as much as I should have. Since then, I have been steadily building mileage, and I hope to get into the mid 80s if all goes well and I'm feeling good (though I desperately need to take a down week next week).
Workouts so far have gotten better and better. 2 weeks ago was my first tempo (two tuesdays ago). As mentioned before, I did it with Jragz, Brunx, and Jesse. The first 3 miles were completed in around 17:55, and though aerobically I felt perfectly relaxed, my legs were not used to running at the faster pace (though it was barely sub 6 pace). I felt pretty awful at this point of the tempo. During the next 2 miles, we overcompensated, and Brunx and I ended up going 10:50ish for the last 2 (we meant to go 11:20), for a 28:45 total time. What's funny is that the 5:25 pace felt just as easy as the 6:00 pace. Since getting the daunting first tempo out of the way, I have made an effort to do more strides, after realizing that my tempo felt difficult due to poor turnover.
This past Thursday, I went to Franklin Park (for those of you who don't know, it is an 8k course that we race every year) to do another tempo run. The day was hot and I felt tired, so I didn't expect much of myself. I purposely stayed relaxed the first mile, and was surprised to look down at my watch and see 5:40. I was surprise again at 2 miles which I hit in 11:22, despite tackling some significant hills. I went through 5k in 17:30, still feeling very relaxed and in control. Though I don't konw the 4 mile marker, I completed the 8k/5 mile course in 27:27. I recovered within a couple minutes, but the result was both exciting and worrysome. It made me wonder if I am hammering too hard too early during the summer, and risking burnout. Hopefully not, for I did not push myself much harder than I normally would on a tempo run.

p.s. Greg, Paul Norton acknowledges you as his rival, and Gihan Amirsersfsdsdeededena angrily remembers when I outkicked him high school

Response to Nick

As stated before, great initiative on the part of Jragz for starting this thing.

Before I talk about my training so far this summer, I want to talk a bit more about Nick's take on doubles. I just started doubling this summer, largely due to this www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=2372073&page=8 thread on Letsrun.com (it's a great read). What the main poster on the thread (Malmo, a former pro runner) said, is that if you haven't started doubling now, start immediately. You will feel tired, but you will gradually adjust and reap great benefits. I feel that many people have the wrong take on doubling, as if it is "cheating". In reality, doubling should supplement your mileage. For example, take runner A, who either physically or mentally (or both) cannot run 70 miles a week in singles. Instead, he runs 55 miles a week in singles, which is the most he can handle in singles. He can supplement the mileage he is already doing in singles, with some morning slow runs of 3 or 4 miles. Though aerobically it may be better to do the 70 in singles, his body may not be ready for that much in singles. With doubles, he can run more mileage and stay healthy. He also is allowing himself to adjust to running 70 miles a week, which will enable him to run more in the future. Running is not all about getting more fit aerobically. A 10 mile run is not always better than a 7 mile run. The benefit of doubling is felt in many ways. First of all, your body learns to recover more quickly, because it works on a 12 hour schedule instead of a 24 hour schedule. Furthermore, the morning run gets fresh blood flowing to the legs which allows you to feel ready to go in the afternoon run. By splitting say a 10 mile run into two runs, you can run them at a much higher quality, for it is easier to run faster for 7 miles than it is for 10. It also allows you to avoid the form breakdown which inevitably occurs at the end of a longer run. By no means am I advocating doubling everyday, and there is definitely a place every week for a long run and a few medium length long runs, but doubling can supplement your recovery days and allow you to feel better on your medium days.
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JRags - Living the high life at 19 Teele (this week's training)

So it's July 16th, more than half way through the summer already, and things are going really well. The LegoLab job still exists and is finally paying me, I get to see Cleveland's shining face every night, and the absurdly hot girls of Jumbo State are out tanning in full force.

Given all of these fortuitous circumstances, it should be no surprise that training is going really well. I just finished up a big week and I'm 3 days into an even bigger one. For those wondering how the fuck the indoor-cripple is putting up big numbers, I put together a little video about my training for the last 10 days.

If you guys get some time (give me a break, we all have time, nobody has a real job), throw something together about your running or lack thereof so far this summer, or whatever the fuck you've been up to.

JRags - July 16, 2008