Change Displayed Text SizeGrow Displayed Text SizeShrink Displayed Text Size
 

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Getting longer

Normally, a runner is supposed to be fairly conservative in increasing mileage. The recommendation is a maximum of 10% increase in a week.
Just over a week ago I went from 6 mile long runs (about once a week) to doing a 8.5 mile run. Almost immediately after that, I did another run where I kept going for 11.5 miles. Now, this did result in a lot of problems afterward. I did find myself dealing with pain from overuse, from muscle imbalances and other things. But the important thing, to me, was finding that I could do it. On the 11.5 mile run, I could have gone longer, but I basically ran out of road. I felt like I could have run pretty much forever.

Now, while I'm still dealing with the problems that those runs brought on, I don't have any regrets. Some people take the safe road, not taking chances, sticking to the plan. It's easy to loose yourself in the monotony of it, doing the same training every week, gradually increasing the distance or intensity, not thinking about why you're doing it.
Why do it? Because you can.

So now I know that I can do a half Ironman with some more training. It will be challenging, for sure, but after those runs it seems a lot more possible than it did before them. Barring injuries, I'm now planning to do the Big Kahuna half Ironman in September.

7/19/2005 12:08:00 AM ] [  0 comments  ]
[archives]
A good quick laugh