I Want It All (and i want it now)

I want to run fast. Very fast. And I want to run long. Very long. And I want it now. Yes, I want it all and I want it now! Fast 5K, fast half-marathon, long (and sorta fast) 50 miler. Now.



I love doing fast workouts. 400m and 800m intervals, hill sprints, 1-mile repeats, tempo runs. All good. Unfortunately, I'm training for a half-marathon right now and these shorter speed sessions don't help much without the long runs to support aerobic development and endurance. When I go long, I don't feel like doing the short stuff. The short stuff is fun, but makes me a little tired for really long runs. Guess I can't have it all?

I need to select races and prioritize my training to match upcoming events. For now, that means medium long runs (10-12 miles) plus 2-4 mile tempo runs to prepare for the upcoming half-marathon at the end of April. Once May rolls around, I can convert to long and slow runs to prepare for Howl at the Moon 8-Hour, Last Man Standing, and eventually Tunnel Hill 50 miler. I'll insert a shorter race here and there, but the focus will remain on ultra running. Long slow distance. Summer and fall are for miles, winter and spring for speed. I can't have it all. At least not all at once.

In your youth you can have it all...recovery comes quickly and track sessions can segue into tempo runs which move to long runs, strides, and hill sprints...all in one week. Not so true for a grandmaster runner. I can have it all, but it needs to be spread out over a year!