You have to love running, which includes the process (training). You are much too concerned with the end result and not the process.
You have to love running, which includes the process (training). You are much too concerned with the end result and not the process.
data hack wrote:
You have to love running, which includes the process (training). You are much too concerned with the end result and not the process.
Top successful runners are concerned mostly with the result. That's why so many quit competitive running after college or after they realize their PRs are a thing of the past.
Its the so called hobby jogger or the very good but not champion runner who loves the training and stays with it most of their life.
jamin wrote:
Just so sick of it! I believe I am physically capable of breaking existing PRs, but I'm just sick of always repeating the process of getting in the right training at the right time to target the right race. It's just annoying to structure life around tentative calendar dates. You do 2 workouts every week and that's over 100 workouts per year and all but a couple are just trying to rebuild to your previous PR fitness and you have the stress of fitting this around life obligations such as family vacations where you can't get in your coffee-stretch-warmup-workout-cooldown routine. Nothing else in life is as "inefficient" from a work-results perspective. There's just so much preparation involved in getting to a start line feeling fitter than ever and light and with some bounce in the legs. It's the best feeling in the world when you do. On the other hand, it can mentally wreck you if you can't run your target race or if you have a poor race. I have a race I'm thinking of running on my birthday next month and might not because if I run bad (because of illness or whatever) then I'll ruin any positive vibes I had. I might just quit trying to race at least for the remainder of the year and see if I can find some inspiration to restart next year. Quite honestly, I have trouble taking time off to relax because all I can think about is how I'm "wasting" my fitness I built or how I'm "falling behind" my compatriots. I know I'm not the only one.
You are on the verge of an epiphany.
I sincerely hope you quit tomorrow and never post on these forums again, ever.
Sham 69 wrote:
You have a monster bass. Now you just need to cut the mileage down and half and start doing ever run faster. Do your workouts at mile pace. You have some great times ahead.
You don't even need to enter a "race" by the way. A "Matt London" would suffice.
A "Matt London" would never share thoughts of quitting or logic. This post is more of a "David45."
Why don't you do a "Matt London" to boost your confidence though? If you can't break your current 5,000 m PR right now, just go break your 4,900 m PR and report your current height and weight. If your height or weight changes in the next week, then go out and break your 4,900 m PR at the new height and weight next week, or break your 4,800 m PR. You can probably do that until you get down to you 10 m PR (hand timed of course).
Whiskers wrote:
Sham 69 wrote:
You have a monster bass. Now you just need to cut the mileage down and half and start doing ever run faster. Do your workouts at mile pace. You have some great times ahead.
You don't even need to enter a "race" by the way. A "Matt London" would suffice.
A "Matt London" would never share thoughts of quitting or logic. This post is more of a "David45."
Why don't you do a "Matt London" to boost your confidence though? If you can't break your current 5,000 m PR right now, just go break your 4,900 m PR and report your current height and weight. If your height or weight changes in the next week, then go out and break your 4,900 m PR at the new height and weight next week, or break your 4,800 m PR. You can probably do that until you get down to you 10 m PR (hand timed of course).
I'm pretty sure I have the WR for a 2mi run with a BMI of 30 after also Deadlifting twice my bodyweight.
London would be proud.
Alan
and speaking of bass... wrote:
Sham 69 wrote:You have a monster bass.
Pound for pound, the best fighting fish around. :-)
Actually, he has enormous sub-woofers that vibrate your rib cage when cranked up to maximum volume
some advice wrote:
You probably need to take a few weeks off:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444032404578006274010745406"Bernard Lagat ... will toss his sneakers in a closet and pig out for the next five weeks. No running. No sit-ups. No heavy lifting, except for a fork."
I do not believe in this. Research show that a lot is lost when no maintainance of abilities and 5 weeks off will mean a lot of training to reach the old levels. When we also know how little is enough to maintain abilities decently, I do not understand this choice in the second degree. It is very easy to do do less but smart training to maintain and still recovery mentally and so on.
I get so annoyed when good runners are used as examples of this. It is from a physiological standpoint wrong. With no training, things will change for the worse and too much base training will be needed to get back
Sham 69 wrote:
You have a monster bass. Now you just need to cut the mileage down and half and start doing ever run faster. Do your workouts at mile pace. You have some great times ahead.
You don't even need to enter a "race" by the way. A "Matt London" would suffice.
Cut down the monster bass into an awesome cello?
Post a video of a PR in the 700 meter dash?
take a step back and be thankful you're not injured. i haven't been able to run more than 20 miles a week in about a year and it sucks. i'd be ecstatic to sniff anything within 2 minutes of my 5K PR right now. nay, if i could go do a nice 5 mile run without feeling pain i would probably tear up from happiness.
Drop down to 1 workout a week but make it a good one.
Do everything else easy, at least 45-50 miles per week.
Jog with your local running club and make new friends.
hellothere wrote:
take a step back and be thankful you're not injured. i haven't been able to run more than 20 miles a week in about a year and it sucks. i'd be ecstatic to sniff anything within 2 minutes of my 5K PR right now. nay, if i could go do a nice 5 mile run without feeling pain i would probably tear up from happiness.
I think for a lot of these pro-runners who take "time off", what it really means is that they just run easy and unstructured for a couple weeks. I be most of them are still running just about every day.
Also, in response to losing fitness and then having to build it back... sometimes a bit of recovery, detraining, and rebuilding is what is required to break through a training plateau.
Runningart2004 wrote:There is life after competitive running. There is even competition after competitive running.
+1
Everyone has bad days, and periods of low motivation, but if you don't find the process generally enjoyable or generally satisfying, then it's time to retire or step back from competitive running.
For some, retirement means never running a step again. Others deprioritize running and racing, but still run 60 miles/week because they like it.
The important part is to realize that your ability to run sub 15 or whatever doesn't matter, and to spend your limited time and energy on a recreational pursuit that you don't like is insane.
data hack wrote:
You have to love running, which includes the process (training).
Are you telling me it doesn't feel a little like a "chore" if you have to go on some business trip into a +3 hr timezone and have to pack your running clothes and get up at 2 a.m. your internal clock's time and run in the freezing rain?
zero sum game guy wrote:
jamin wrote:
Just so sick of it! I believe I am physically capable of breaking existing PRs, but I'm just sick of always repeating the process of getting in the right training at the right time to target the right race. It's just annoying to structure life around tentative calendar dates. You do 2 workouts every week and that's over 100 workouts per year and all but a couple are just trying to rebuild to your previous PR fitness and you have the stress of fitting this around life obligations such as family vacations where you can't get in your coffee-stretch-warmup-workout-cooldown routine. Nothing else in life is as "inefficient" from a work-results perspective. There's just so much preparation involved in getting to a start line feeling fitter than ever and light and with some bounce in the legs. It's the best feeling in the world when you do. On the other hand, it can mentally wreck you if you can't run your target race or if you have a poor race. I have a race I'm thinking of running on my birthday next month and might not because if I run bad (because of illness or whatever) then I'll ruin any positive vibes I had. I might just quit trying to race at least for the remainder of the year and see if I can find some inspiration to restart next year. Quite honestly, I have trouble taking time off to relax because all I can think about is how I'm "wasting" my fitness I built or how I'm "falling behind" my compatriots. I know I'm not the only one.
tl;dr
Being “sick of it” is a zero sum game.
Replying to jamin posts is a zero sum game.
the way it should be. wrote:
data hack wrote:
You have to love running, which includes the process (training). You are much too concerned with the end result and not the process.
Top successful runners are concerned mostly with the result. That's why so many quit competitive running after college or after they realize their PRs are a thing of the past.
Its the so called hobby jogger or the very good but not champion runner who loves the training and stays with it most of their life.
If you are not sponsored, not on an athletic scholarship, and not an American high school runner leveraging athletic ability on a college application, you are a hobby jogger.
If some hobby joggers find the pursuit of "the end result" fulfilling, good for them. Those who don't, but still center their lives on PRs and wins, should reevaluate.
the way it should be. wrote:
jamin wrote:
Just so sick of it! I believe I am physically capable of breaking existing PRs, but I'm just sick of always repeating the process of getting in the right training at the right time to target the right race. It's just annoying to structure life around tentative calendar dates. You do 2 workouts every week and that's over 100 workouts per year and all but a couple are just trying to rebuild to your previous PR fitness and you have the stress of fitting this around life obligations such as family vacations where you can't get in your coffee-stretch-warmup-workout-cooldown routine. Nothing else in life is as "inefficient" from a work-results perspective. There's just so much preparation involved in getting to a start line feeling fitter than ever and light and with some bounce in the legs. It's the best feeling in the world when you do. On the other hand, it can mentally wreck you if you can't run your target race or if you have a poor race. I have a race I'm thinking of running on my birthday next month and might not because if I run bad (because of illness or whatever) then I'll ruin any positive vibes I had. I might just quit trying to race at least for the remainder of the year and see if I can find some inspiration to restart next year. Quite honestly, I have trouble taking time off to relax because all I can think about is how I'm "wasting" my fitness I built or how I'm "falling behind" my compatriots. I know I'm not the only one.
You are on the verge of an epiphany.
His epiphany was noticing he was starting to go bald a few years ago. Old man jamin failed to realize that he turned the corner on PRs. It has been all downhill since then.
Runningart2004 wrote:
Whiskers wrote:
A "Matt London" would never share thoughts of quitting or logic. This post is more of a "David45."
Why don't you do a "Matt London" to boost your confidence though? If you can't break your current 5,000 m PR right now, just go break your 4,900 m PR and report your current height and weight. If your height or weight changes in the next week, then go out and break your 4,900 m PR at the new height and weight next week, or break your 4,800 m PR. You can probably do that until you get down to you 10 m PR (hand timed of course).
I'm pretty sure I have the WR for a 2mi run with a BMI of 30 after also Deadlifting twice my bodyweight.
London would be proud.
Alan
No you don't.
You're famous jamin! Nick Symmonds mentioned you in his video yesterday.