I Do What I Want (Running Wise)

I've decided not to follow any rules of training for the next few months.  I'm just going to do what I want. Whatever. Simple.



I've read over 150 running books and have a sense of what is "correct" and "proper" training. It's inside me. Now, I'll just let things happen. I want steady progress and no injuries. I want to get faster, but stay happy.  Here is a recent chart from RunnersConnect that caught my attention:



I want steady, but moderate progress. In the past, I've done either too much base-level easy running (with no speed work) or I insert crazy fast speed sessions. Now, I just want variety. Most will be moderate effort runs at moderate distances. I'm not a fan of track workouts, so those will probably be skipped. I tend to prefer tempo and fartlek runs. Those just fit my style. If I can ever get my Garmin HR strap to stop digging into my chest, I'll even document my runs with distance, time, pace, HR, etc. I've turned off all of my Garmin alarms and now just run as I feel. The watch doesn't control me, I control me. But, I still want to track my running shit so I'll monitor my runs (but mostly keep the watch on "time of day").

I'm not looking forward to my next race on August 10: the Howl at the Moon 8-Hour ultra. I'm not prepared. Still, it'll be a great workout and a nice time to catch up with friends. This fall I have several races planned--mostly around the 50K distance. Perfect "shorter" races. I might even throw in a really short race like a marathon! I am looking forward to this fall. Why? Because...I do what I want!

Awesome One Hour Run

Lately I've been struggling with my training. Sometimes I run, sometimes I don't. Sometimes it feels good, sometimes it doesn't. No consistency. I decided to "just run" and do what I want. No real plan. No mileage goals. No pace goals. Today it began. I just stepped on the gym treadmill and started to walk. Then jog. Then run. As I ran faster, I decided to go until I hit lactate threshold. Felt good. Then I decided to back off a bit and hold at marathon pace (about 7:30 pace). Held that pace until I felt it was enough, then walked until the hour was done. Great one hour run!

Walk=>Jog=>Run Until LT Pace=>Back to Marathon Pace=>Walk

(The small dip in pace during the marathon pace portion was me adjusting my shoe mid-run.) 

I felt energized after this run. I felt like I achieved something worthwhile, but wasn't spent. I need more runs like this one. Maybe future ones will be faster, or slower. Some will be shorter, but others longer. This was a good start on my new "just run" philosophy. Do what feels right. Do what makes me happy. 

Happy running everyone!

Van Aaken Method

People that follow my blog, or my running, have figured out I tend to follow Phil Maffetone's training ideas. His 2010 book, Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing, is my bedside staple. Maffetone's book is big, a total of 516 pages! Great book, but pretty darn beefy. In addition to Maffetone, I follow Ernst van Aaken and his training philosophy. In fact, it seems that van Aaken was the leader in pure endurance training. Maffetone clearly draws from van Aaken's teachings. Seems Arthur Lydiard did too. If you can find van Aaken's book, "The Van Aaken Method", buy it! It's a really intriguing look at run training from the 1940s and 1950s. Plus, it's only 134 pages long. Very readable. Cool insights (especially about women runners who he was very supportive of in long distance races). It's not an easy used book to find, so let me summarize a few key thoughts in his own words:

• Run daily, run slowly, with creative walking breaks.
• Run many miles, many times your racing distance if you are a track runner, up to and often beyond if you are a long-distance runner. 
• Do tempo running only at a fraction of your racing distance.
• Run no faster during tempo runs than you would in a race.
• Bring your weight down 10-20% under the so-called norm and live athletically--don't smoke, drink little or no alcohol, and eat moderately.
• Consider that breathing is more important than eating, and that continuous breathlessness in training exhausts you and destroys your training reserve.

If you want an even shorter van Aaken book summary...

"Run slowly, run daily, drink moderately, and don't eat like a pig." 

According to van Aaken, true health starts with endurance and from maximum endurance grows maximum performance. Good stuff!