Over the course of this month, I have slowly been gaining clarity into my fitness goals of 2013. It's been coming to me in a revelation-esque manner, which is really what I've been waiting to happen. It started while I was on the treadmill the other day, suffering through a 4 mile run that felt way harder than it should have. I struggled to figure out just why I felt like complete doo doo -- and then it hit me.
When you take approximately 4 months off from any consistent running, the physiological advances you've made over the past few years start to reverse. Mitochondria and capillary density decrease. Oxygen carrying capacity declines. I've lost it all, and the only way to get it back is to start over, much like I did in 2008 after the Boston Marathon.
After that race, I was injured and relatively unfit. I made it my mission then and there that I would take the time to build myself back up slowly, but ultimately take my training to new levels. I started with 20 miles a week, adding 5 miles each week until I was running 60 miles a week. I started my training for Richmond 2008 at 55 miles per week and capped it at 75. I built up my aerobic fitness before adding the anaerobic/speed component. I was more fit than I'd ever been, ready to go sub 3 in Richmond.
And on race day, I tanked. Ate shit hard.
But I was still more fit than I'd ever been. That training gave me the platform to start from an even higher level of building for the next race. I averaged 65 miles a week that summer. Peaked at 85 for Richmond 2009. Physiological changes took place like never before. And on race day, I finally reached my goal.
Now I'm back at square one. The problem I've had since that race in 2009 is that after reaching that goal, I didn't have a new one. I've been training and racing aimlessly for the last 3 years -- and it sucks. But on the treadmill the other day, I realized what I want to do. I want to go through that process again. I want to start from nothing and get into to the best shape of my life over 2013. I want to PR in a fall marathon. But I also want to go about things differently.
I want to consistently lift weights and cross train each week. I want to be a stronger runner than I've been in the past, so that I am healthy and don't feel like I'm injured all of the time. I want to be balanced. I think that the need for this balance has been there for the last few years -- I've just ignored it. Maybe that's why I've been hurt for the last three years. This time, I'm not going to let that happen.
Day 19, and I'm still on track. I'm sitting here dressed in my shorts and t-shirt, about to get out for my "long run" on this crisp, clear, sunny winter day. Today's long run: 7.5 miles. And it will probably feel like 17.5. But that's part of the process, and the beauty of it. Knowing that in 3 months, I might be running 17.5, and it won't feel that bad. Mitochondria and capillary density will have increased. Stroke volume will be up. I'll be 3 months closer to reaching my peak fitness -- and that will feel good.
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