Short version - AM – out with TZ and the dogs for a bit, and then some on my own for a very easy 7.5. Felt pretty good and not particularly thrashed from the last two days. My OCD nature had me considering getting in another half dozen to put me for 70 for the week, but other obligations prevailed.
Long version (on a flight to the east coast, so …) That sort of describes the week: other obligations prevailed. I remain on the fence if this detrimental in terms of training, actually better or if makes no significant difference. In the past, only getting out five of seven days would be viewed (by me) as detrimental, lacking consistency and discipline (**note** by “in the past, I don’t mean for all of my existence on this rock … more like the last couple of years). I view consistency as the cornerstone to my running, and goose egg days could be interpreted to reflect cracks in that foundation.
But, I have also entertained the notion that perhaps it is better training. Rather than slogging out another run to get some obligatory number, my training is more balanced in that I get true rest days, and I can go after it a bit more on other days. While it is certainly agreed on that performance is more likely to improve with a hard easy regime, I do wonder if I am just using that rationalization as a crutch.
Because … I also wonder if it sort of does not matter anyway. I mean, this is the training week I had. Getting all worked up with the muscle on the top of my neck about what it is and what it ought to be sort of does not matter because this week is what it was. I felt like crap on Wednesday and Thursday, and I let those days slip. I am not sure if I would have let them slip in past years. I am not sure if that is a sign of wisdom with age, or a lack of testosterone with age. And frankly I am not sure it matters.
I have wondered if I could ever be a running coach (**note** – not looking to do that now, as my plate if pretty full in life, but it is one of those career paths I consider along with full time home brewer, rock and roll guitarist singer song writer, professional blogger-podcaster, farmer, and orthopedic sock salesman). I think I could, but I see this sort of thinking (or lack thereof) above as a possible detriment to that career is that I am a bit undecided on many things in training.
Running is a simple sport. Go and do it (1). Do it some more and you will improve. If you want to improve a bit more efficiently, well, there are probably a half dozen basic principles that we can all generally agree on. But then we make running really complex. Everyone, of course, is a case study of one. Everyone’s story is a bit different and so how we apply those basic principles becomes a mix.
So we see these debates … more hills than speed more volume, less volume, higher altitude so how high, barefoot running or not, singles or doubles, fixed heart rate or mixed heart rate, pace of recovery runs, blah blah blah blah
It seems to me that coaches that resonate with folks are the ones that can state definitively what it is that you need to do and what it is you ought not to do. I find that a bit challenging to do. I look at my own race results and can often come up with a half dozen reasons why it went bad or why it did not go bad. I see a whole vast complex system of things – internal and external to the athlete. I am left with a sort of “well, it depends” answer while genius coaches say “hey dumb ass, it was this."
I ain’t saying the coaches are wrong. In fact, they might be right. I am just not sure if they are always right, or as right as they might think they are. Again, this is not saying they are wrong and that I am more knowledgeable than them. It is just that my ability to pin down as well as they do. In fact, if you are looking for a coach, I’d have a small number (less than one hand) of folks I’d recommend pretty quickly (and if you read this blog, you probably already know who they are). In other words, I am sure I did a typical dumb ass move and said something there and offended someone, but I hope not because this is really more egocentric and not meant to do that.
Just be sure that you are coach-able before engaging with them.
The best coach athlete relationships (in endurance sports like running) occur probably when the coach knows (or truly believes they know) they are right, the athlete has full faith (which can occur for a variety of reasons) in that and the results prove it. I question my own personal ability to coach someone at this point because I look at what I do and question my ability to effectively coach myself (2). I can look at my past week as my own coach and give it a total “F” or I can give it a solid “A.” If I were coaching GZ as an outsider, I think I’d have to simply take it as it is and move on. It was good week in many regards. Perfect? Nope … so, we will keep on moving on to find that balance that works for efficient training, and living and loving.
Week = 64 miles, 12 hours, 12020 vertical
April = 174 miles, 28.75 hours, 32040 vertical
2011 = 1096 miles, 167 hours, and 89.8 k verticalAh, so it was my largest week of vertical so far this year. Putting in the three laps on Green assured that. However, it does put into perspective that folks who nail half a million to a million of vertical annually … well, wow.
Other stuff …
I got a bunch of AR50 reports to read. That and Footfeathers lent me a bunch of Ultrarunner Magazines. I currently don’t subscribe to any mags (I let my Nat Geo run out, along with the PPRR subscription), but I am slightly tempted subscribe to that one. It reminds me of the telephone book subscription I had in the 90s – yup, T&F News. Names, numbers, some brief write ups and skinny people sweating.
Not expecting a lot this week in terms of training either. Off on business travel, and then I have some required downtime with the family this weekend.
Okay, at the risk of offending someone … I was pulling off the highway the other day and there was the expected person there at the end of the ramp holding a piece of cardboard and asking for some change. The light at this ramp backs things up so I was there for a bit. I got up to the light and could see that there was not only this person at this part of the ramp, but there were four other people at various medians in the vicinity doing the same gig. For what it worth, all of these people were young – sub 30 easy, and appeared to have all their bodily limbs. At that moment, a Honda Odyssey van pulls up to one of the medians, some other young 30 something with an Abe Lincoln beard really working pops out and calls to them. They all head to van, jump in the side and take off. Lots to possibly say about this, but … crikey.
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(1) In fact, it used to be I would just say “get some shoes on and run” but even now what you wrap your feet in is a significant.
(2) and since I don’t put the brain on hold, I have yet to have a professional coaching relationship – although I have been offered and have solicited the advice of many professional coaches and other athletes.
