Followed Lydiard to the letter.
Followed Lydiard to the letter.
Wouldn't do anything different.
But do realize that the 4-5 year window of time is very short in the grand scheme of things, so make the most of any and all opportunities you have, do well and you can sit back and savor it for many years to come. (oh thank heaven for seven eleven)
I would've had more fun. Like another poster said, I was always way too focused on results to have fun. I put way too much pressure on myself, and although I felt like a million bucks after a great race, the races that lived up to my standards were few and far between, and I typically beat myself up a lot of the rest of the time (and/or got so nervous before races and even workouts that I was miserable).
Learn the importance of tapering and rest.
I was rarely rested for a race. Over trained. Can remember only a couple of times where I felt strong all during a race. IT was usually after a minor injury where I was forced to rest.
It's pretty hard to tell someone to train less when your results keep getting better with more training. At some point though, you have to taper and allow the work to show in the performance.
I would have run on hard surfaces a lot less. Being a heel striker and pounding the pavement endlessly probably was not the best of ideas.
I also would have just practiced finishing races better. I wasn't bad at it, but I could have done better. My long hard runs were all pretty much at the same pace all the way through. It would have been wise to really burn the last 3/4s of a mile on some of them. Maybe that training would only have made me about 4 seconds faster in a 10k, but...I wouldn't mind if my PR was 4 seconds faster.
Rested more before a few key races a year. There are only so many times you're likely to feel like you're in the shape of your life. It's a shame afterward to review a race and realize you didn't run up to your potential simply because you entered the race a little too fatigued. It's tough, because when you feel fitter than you ever have, you tend to feel invincible, so it can be hard to believe that you need to rest all that much before a big race.
Run more.
-run easy on easy days
-sleep more
Studied the sport more. Not the "science" of the sport, but the sport that has the potential to inspire.
Biographies, learn who runs where, actually followed it more.
You're absolutely right. I wouldn't want to change my life and changing how I ran certainly could have done that. WHen I met my wife, I was where I was because I was injured because I didn't have my orthotics yet.
So, I guess I would change nothing.
I would have run a variety of speeds, all through the year--no "all slow" phase. Depending on the timeof year, the emphasis would have shifted from one kind of training to another, but I would never have lost touch of my speed entirely.
I would also have worked on general fitness--depending on the time of year, probably some combination of weightlifting and the old RCAF 5BX program, plus swimming and water running.
Would (usually) have limited my long run to ~20%, not 30%, of my weekly mileage, and would have done it every other week, not 3-4 times per month.
Would not have raced longer than 20km until out of college.
xcrunner5: What's so sad?
I third this comment. Mentally I was always ahead of where I was physically. So almost every race was a disappointment even though I was setting PR's.So I would like to go back in time and do the following:-Lighten up and focus on racing rather than time trialing -Run slower on easy days and faster on hard days-Get more sleep-Run more miles-Run more doubles-Learn to drink lessAs for chasing tail I had that about right. Also we did a lot of adventure running which was a blast. All in all though it was, and still is, an awesome way to live a life.
Intergalactic wrote:
I would've had more fun. Like another poster said, I was always way too focused on results to have fun. I put way too much pressure on myself, and although I felt like a million bucks after a great race, the races that lived up to my standards were few and far between, and I typically beat myself up a lot of the rest of the time (and/or got so nervous before races and even workouts that I was miserable).
realized I wasn't an 800m runner a lot sooner.
bumped up the mileage sooner. this would have helped me with the former.
not played 30 years of Basketball. Got 1 shot knee,
so running is out of the question.
I agree with a lot of the sentiments here. I don't know if I would change anything too much because it did bring me to my life today.
That being said, definitely, completely, for sure, I wish I had enjoyed it a whole lot more than I did in HS and college. It could have been great.
I'm in my mid-30s now and don't think it's too late. I'm having fun, running more and trying to be my best without getting all worked up.
Run more sooner. I ran 30-40mpw in college and ran mid-34 10Ks. Kept running and by my late 20s I was sub-31. I could have gone to Nationals or close to it running that in college.
Probably select a college where I could have been a smaller fish in a bigger pond. I did have a lot of fun though. But, I might have developed to a higher level with a better training group. Or I might have been hurt all of the time?!
Not crying though,
ty
This is a good thread topic and it seems there are some consistent themes. Here's my 2c, mostly pertains to earlier years (19 - 25), by late 20s I wouldn't have changed much.
didn't run in high school and spent 4 yrs of college catching up
learned the hard way that the longer the distance the better I got, but spent several years getting beat up at 800-mile, while I should have been steeple and 10,000 m.
gone to a different school or certainly should have transferred. We had a dysfunctional sometimes toxic system at the time (now the school is known for its stability and postive environment for runners)
run easier on recovery days, and not pushed as hard on interval days to save the best running for race day
picked friends a little differently
one later regret--should have given the marathon another try or two in my late twenties or early 30s; ran 2:30 at 25 but got hurt and never gave it another try until 40s
Run easy days easier.
Don't assume that X's training program will work for you. I was never a high mileage guy and got burned every time I tried to bump my mileage over 85.
If you have a girlfriend who complains that you concentrate too much on running. Break up with her immediately. She doesn't understand how you work. Thank me later.
If you're not happy with your coach, either transfer or take charge of your training/racing. Don't wait and hope that he gets more proactive after you start winning.