Intensives

[Wahine]

I wasn't really sure if I should put this in the tri section or running section. I spend most of my time here so hey...

First off I want to say... DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME. For those of you that don't know me well from the site, I have many years of training behind me and a ton of base. For a newbie to venture out on this kind of journey could be disasterous.

Now on to the main idea...

I wanted to share a little philosophy that my tri coach has given me and to share with you a little journey. My coach has started me on an intensive. That means of month of taking a limiting belief about yourself and proving it wrong. Turning it inside out, in such a way that at the other end you are a new person.

My negative/limiting belief is that I am not a great runner. It goes back to the days when I was younger and injured myself when I tried to put in the kind of mileage that other elite runners were doing. Since then I have minimized my mileage and still done reasonably well racing triathlon. But I'm not in the leagues to go to Kona. And I'd like to be.

So here's my intensive. I am to run as often as possible over the next month. That includes doing 2 runs in a day to get the mileage in. I am supposed to try to approximate a 53 miles week. That's 2 marathons. It does not matter how slowly I have to run to do it or how many separate workouts I use to make it happen. I just have to trust that my body can run a lot more than I think it can.

Maybe I'll prove that I can run a lot. Maybe I'll get a minor injury in the process. Either way I'll have answered a question or two about myself and I'll be a smarter competetor in the end.

Last week I logged 26 miles and 5 out of 7 days running outside, one day pool running. So far this week I have run 13 miles in two days but this is my 4th day in a row running outside. So far so good. My lower legs are sore but not enough to stop me from trying again tomorrow. I already feel some barriers crumbling.

This is the thread of my journey.

I'm so excited to see what's going to happen.

[jesvetmed]

Good luck to you, no matter how it comes out. Learning what we can about ourselves is always worth spending time to do. I bet you'll learn that you do just fine. Keep us all posted on how it goes.

[KnottedYet]

"...done reasonably well racing triathlon..."

Our Yoda, so modest!

[Flybye]

Wow, that sounds like a great way to learn the limits aren't what the psychological part of you sets them to be. My only caution would be that you need to also listen to fatigue and be certain not to overdo things so that you come out of this with an injury that takes you back to square one.

That being said, and with your caution in mind, how would a newbie attempt to apply this same concept? My longest run so far has been about 4 miles and I am averaging about 5 measly miles per week. I don't want to hijack the thread, but I do think you have hit on something with many women who don't "run well", and I count myself among them.

I have yet to hit that runners high - I can easily find the high with cycling.

I am eager to read your journey through this process.

Thanks for sharing.

[Wahine]

Flybye - I wouldn't recommend doing something like this unless you're working with a coach. For many of the reasons that you mentioned, cumulative fatigue, risk of injury etc.

Now you could certainly make a tough goal and stick with it. Just not something so extreme. For running, consistency is key, so maybe you decide that you will run a minimum of 3 times a week and do one light run/form workout for 4 weeks in a row.

[Kimmyt]

I did that about a month ago, I decided maybe I could run more than every other day, so I decided to run as much as possible for a week. I ended up doing 28 miles that week, up from my usual of under 15, and I felt great.

Unfortunately, now I'm suffering some very obnoxious hip pains that popped up at the end of that week. I took the last few weeks off with an ankle injury, and figured my weeks off would rest my hip as well. I did NOTHING. (it drove me slightly batty). I took a 3 mile run the other day and the ankle felt great, but the hip started hurting. After only 3 miles. Then it continued to hurt during swim class. It never hurt while swimming before, and usually only started to hurt 5-6 miles into a run.

So I just hope it works better for you than it did for me! And obviously, I didn't have a coach to keep an eye out for me. Le sigh.

[Veronica]

Well, I find you all darn inspiring.

V.

[Veronica]

Top of your age group at Kona? That sounds like a good place to go.

V.

[Starfish]

Top of your age group at Kona? That sounds like a good place to go. V.

[Wahine]

I like the way you guys dream but I think that might mean quitting my job. That's not going to happen anytime soon.

6.5 uncomfortable miles, well 5.5 then it got better for the last mile. I've hit over 100 miles for Feb. Now to see if I can squeek out another 9 miles to hit 50.

I told my coach that I think I'm losing my mind. He said that minds are over rated.

Oh, the other thing this has done is knock me out of the Athena category. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

[Pika]

Woohooo!
You are doing great- heck- about the athena category- just pull a trick like they do on the biggest loser and drink a few gallons of water before you are weighed! - Just Kidding of course!!!
You'll do great in what ever category you are in!

[Veronica]

Eat some chocolate... or whatever you fancy!

V.

[Veronica]

Worry wort sticking up her head - is being a shadow of your former self healthy?

V.

[Wahine]

Thank you worry wort. I've only lost about 3 pounds over the last month, he was exaggerating. But I really do appreciate your concern. It looks like more because I'm on the cusp between 2 clothing sizes usually, so I always buy the more comfortable, large size. My clothes are hanging off me a bit now. I think it was his way of trying to encourage me, he knows I want to lose a bit of weight and he also knows I'm struggling right now.

[Veronica]

Okay, that's good. You know how some runners and cyclists end up looking emaciated? That's not a good look and would ruin my mental image of you.

V.