On Monday I started training for the Tuna Run 200 relay race on Oct. 18-19. I have not been running as much as usual, and I've felt it as a withdrawal of sorts. Tuesday morning I dabbled in speed work for the first time in two months. The break from it was nice and a time of renewal. At least that's my way of saying that I needed to be lazy. Of course it was harder to use that much effort after a break, but I felt my power and appreciated my speed in a different way following this break.
After taking myself way too seriously last year in relay races, I've decided not to focus my energy on preparing to race in the Tuna Run. My approach for the next three months will be about total body fitness and running. I plan to run three times a week: speed work, a long run, and another run (tempo, recovery, hills or whatever I please.) I will cross train on the other three days with a variety of strength training and aerobic intensity classes at the Y. I haven't seen this training plan anywhere; I'm making it up.
A reason for this is that in the past few years I've spent so much time running that I've neglected strength training. My main reason for focusing on weights and strength is that I am already preparing for the 2014 Boston Marathon. I want to be strong when it comes time to train for it -- if I get a spot. Registration for Boston opens in mid to late September. Even though I qualified for 2014, there is a good chance that I will not have a spot because those who were stopped on the course and could not finish get the first spots (as it should be), and many qualifiers will want to be there and will register. I would be proud to be included, and I almost crave the chance to have a positive outcome from the race. If I am not included, I will be disappointed but will have to acknowledge that it simply wasn't meant to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment