I'm officially eight weeks into training. The weather is 28' and, sadly, almost feels balmy as the snow falls for yet another day. I haven't been able to piece together a full week of outdoor training in a month. Yet, somehow, I felt like a feel into a groove this past week. My stride evened out a bit and my body didn't resist all mid-week runs over five miles. With four weeks until race day, I couldn't be happier with the way my runs have been going, despite feeling the belt upon a treadmill under my feet more often than I would prefer.
I recently read a great blog about the phases of training. It is a nice representation of what your body goes through as you make your way through an endurance running training plan: base phase, build phase, peak phase, speed phase, taper phase and recovery phase. I couldn't help but laugh however at the phases of my training plan that sit much more prevalently in my mind:
The Frustration Phase: The first three weeks of every training plan when everything feels hard again. You remember how good things felt during the high times of your last plan and it is evident that those days are long gone.
The Exhaustion Phase: This typically lasts from week four through week six or seven. Mileage has ramped up, you're pushing harder due to the previous three weeks of frustration and every long run is promptly followed by a nap. You think about sleep while on runs, you struggle to get out of bed for early morning jaunts and you even dream about sleep while you're asleep.
The Starvation Phase: This is hands down the worst four weeks of training. SO. MANY. CALORIES. You feel like a bottomless pit; you're eating twice as much as normal. Two morning bagels, about $37.00 at the Whole Foods hot bar, and dinner for two becomes just enough for one. You often feel like you've finally settled into a running groove while you wear a different kind of groove in your wallet.
Sigh o' Relief Phase: Finally. Let me repeat, FINALLY. Taper. It's the most conflicted one to two weeks of training. You've been focused on daily workouts for ten weeks and now you have to be content working out less while battling the anxiety of the upcoming race day. The combination is enough to drive any sane person batty. (I'm not terrible sane, so it's even worse over here!!).
Race Day: Do. Your. Thang! Everyone has their own race style. I stick with a goal of negative splitting the second half. I have a friend who just takes off with the intent of going full force for as many miles as possible (I do not endorse this method). It's all about your race plan at this point.
Normalization Phase: it's a harsh realization that you're no longer running max miles in a week, cross training your booty off and burning calories like some sort of training oven. It's an adjustment to your entire life. The calories must reduce despite the comfort level of consuming more pasta than the entire US Olympic team. The workouts should focus on muscle recovery rather than endurance and strength. Saturday afternoon two hour naps are longer as justifiable. You briefly remember why you train in the first place, but don't have a ton of desire to get back to it right away. It's pretty hard to re-adjust to a non-
training life, which I'm pretty sure is one of the reasons that we all sign up for the next one!
I've run 16 half marathons in fifteen states and still let myself lapse into the frustration phase every time. I consume too many carbs during the starvation phase and I fail to recognize the appropriate time to cut those carbs outThere are many ups and downs to all
training plans. Some days feel great and some days feel like your first day all over again. Despite it all, they are days in which you've gotten out there and given it your all. Every phase will end and another one will begin, all the while you're working towards the best running version of yourself that you can be. Keep it up, ya'll. You're doing amazing!!
The Starvation Phase: This is hands down the worst four weeks of training. SO. MANY. CALORIES. You feel like a bottomless pit; you're eating twice as much as normal. Two morning bagels, about $37.00 at the Whole Foods hot bar, and dinner for two becomes just enough for one. You often feel like you've finally settled into a running groove while you wear a different kind of groove in your wallet.
Sigh o' Relief Phase: Finally. Let me repeat, FINALLY. Taper. It's the most conflicted one to two weeks of training. You've been focused on daily workouts for ten weeks and now you have to be content working out less while battling the anxiety of the upcoming race day. The combination is enough to drive any sane person batty. (I'm not terrible sane, so it's even worse over here!!).
Race Day: Do. Your. Thang! Everyone has their own race style. I stick with a goal of negative splitting the second half. I have a friend who just takes off with the intent of going full force for as many miles as possible (I do not endorse this method). It's all about your race plan at this point.
Normalization Phase: it's a harsh realization that you're no longer running max miles in a week, cross training your booty off and burning calories like some sort of training oven. It's an adjustment to your entire life. The calories must reduce despite the comfort level of consuming more pasta than the entire US Olympic team. The workouts should focus on muscle recovery rather than endurance and strength. Saturday afternoon two hour naps are longer as justifiable. You briefly remember why you train in the first place, but don't have a ton of desire to get back to it right away. It's pretty hard to re-adjust to a non-
training life, which I'm pretty sure is one of the reasons that we all sign up for the next one!
I've run 16 half marathons in fifteen states and still let myself lapse into the frustration phase every time. I consume too many carbs during the starvation phase and I fail to recognize the appropriate time to cut those carbs outThere are many ups and downs to all
training plans. Some days feel great and some days feel like your first day all over again. Despite it all, they are days in which you've gotten out there and given it your all. Every phase will end and another one will begin, all the while you're working towards the best running version of yourself that you can be. Keep it up, ya'll. You're doing amazing!!
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