We all have hours and hours during training to figure out “why do I do this? How much can I take?”
I decided earlier on that pain is a relative quantity. Unlike heat or sound or light the measure of discomfort, especially as it moves to pain, is relative. How much can I take?
Keely is one of those rare athletes able to turn the dial to 11, because it’s worth it, and still come back for more. Talent is much more than physical
We all have hours and hours during training to figure out “why do I do this? How much can I take?”
I decided earlier on that pain is a relative quantity. Unlike heat or sound or light the measure of discomfort, especially as it moves to pain, is relative. How much can I take?
Keely is one of those rare athletes able to turn the dial to 11, because it’s worth it, and still come back for more. Talent is much more than physical
Blah blah blah … there is no 11 on the dial. You probably believe in giving 120% …
The training for 800 might be more painful but I think the pain tolerance needed for racing a 5K is higher because it requires enduring intense pain for a much longer time.
The 800 is over and done with so fast. A lot of people can handle intense pain for a brief spell because they know it will be over soon. Not many can endure that intensity for double digit minutes.
We all have hours and hours during training to figure out “why do I do this? How much can I take?”
I decided earlier on that pain is a relative quantity. Unlike heat or sound or light the measure of discomfort, especially as it moves to pain, is relative. How much can I take?
Keely is one of those rare athletes able to turn the dial to 11, because it’s worth it, and still come back for more. Talent is much more than physical
Blah blah blah … there is no 11 on the dial. You probably believe in giving 120% …
Agreed. It's just cliché and hyperbole because she doesn't have anything intelligent to say.
We all have hours and hours during training to figure out “why do I do this? How much can I take?”
I decided earlier on that pain is a relative quantity. Unlike heat or sound or light the measure of discomfort, especially as it moves to pain, is relative. How much can I take?
Keely is one of those rare athletes able to turn the dial to 11, because it’s worth it, and still come back for more. Talent is much more than physical
Blah blah blah … there is no 11 on the dial. You probably believe in giving 120% …
Youtube link to a recent interview where she discusses the relationship to pain tolerance and workout strategy.
She makes a couple of interesting points about 00:30 - 01:00 in.
How bad do you want it?
I thought Alex Bell's interview after her Bath half victory was interesting. Specifically, that there hasn't been a single session since she switched to the roads that was as hard or painful as any of her 800m sessions.
She said 'I love the life I live... and the only way to get me there is to keep putting myself through this pain.'
When she realizes she can live a really good life that she will love without putting herself through the pain of 800 meter training, will she be done?
Mu probably already came to that realization.
She also said she loves to compete and that the pain in racing is minimal because of the adrenaline.
So, if the adrenaline masks the pain, then it can't be as serious as she says in the interview. It's just routine high intensity training.
No. Lactate tolerance training is truly horrible. I can remember doing 4x300m and having someone have to drive my car home for me afterwards, or sessions of 3x 4x150m where I had a splitting headache, and couldn't stand up afterwards.
It takes something to face up to that week after week, and I give Keely credit for being extremely tough having seen film of some of the sessions. If you can keep doing that and coming back for more, you deserve it.
Is she being overly dramatic here or can someone comment who is faster than me? I ran 1:53 for the 800.
When I was still a newbie I ran all my workouts too hard and plateau’d. Eventually I learned that - for me - I needed to save the race efforts for races. I finished most workouts knowing there was a little left in the tank. And I got better this way.
Then I see her in the fetal position in practice. Do elites actually do this?
Yes, they need to, but not in every session. Not even every week. There comes time in periodisation when a lot of sessions are very painful and - depending how you deal with intense pain - you may end up in fetal position.
Come race day, you accept the inevitable pain as conditio sine qua non and face it in the crucial stage of the race without hesitating.
Youtube link to a recent interview where she discusses the relationship to pain tolerance and workout strategy.
She makes a couple of interesting points about 00:30 - 01:00 in.
How bad do you want it?
I’m sure there are plenty of people who want it badly enough. However, it ultimately comes down to physiological qualities meeting opportunity. She clearly has generational talent, which can’t be acquired no matter how much you “want it.” She also doesn’t seem to over‑analyse things; she simply turns up and does what she’s told.
The media loves to create a narrative about the superhuman effort our brave athletes put in. However, 30 miles a week plus some cross‑training sounds like a rather nice lifestyle!
We all have hours and hours during training to figure out “why do I do this? How much can I take?”
I decided earlier on that pain is a relative quantity. Unlike heat or sound or light the measure of discomfort, especially as it moves to pain, is relative. How much can I take?
Keely is one of those rare athletes able to turn the dial to 11, because it’s worth it, and still come back for more. Talent is much more than physical