Mastering Body: Getting Reacquainted with the Long Run

As I mentioned in last week’s Mastering Body post,  I am starting to train for multiple half marathons throughout this race season.

The first race is Sunday March 24.  3 weeks away now!  In order to run this race, I’ve got to get back into distance running shape. Sounds easier than it is.

The first week of training the long run was only 4 miles, which was very manageable for me.  The following week, I was able to run all my prescribed runs, but my long run had to be shortened from 6 miles to 5 because of time constraints.  Then this week, running was just no on my radar.  I barely followed my plan at all, ran a horrible 7 miles and feel terrified to double that distance in 3 weeks.

However, after yesterdays run, I’m realizing 2 important lessons.

1. Each shorter run really builds up your tolerance.  Last week when I ran as prescribed, each run felt better and better and I could have tackled the 6 miler with no problem.  And this week when I was barely focused on running, each run felt awful, my body and mind were not into it and took every once of energy I had just to make it to a long run of 7 miles (1 mile short of the planned 8).
2. Training trickles over into all aspects of your life.  Even for “shorter” races like a half marathon.  I need to eat better, sleep better, stretch better and schedule my work outs better, so good things build on each other (like the week where all of my runs built on each other).

Now that I’ve made these realizations and connections this weeks training schedule and life plan looks very different.  Hopefully, next week I can report back a much better, more prepared feeling about having to run 13.1 miles in 2 weeks.