Describe your breakthrough

In summer 2001 I was 38 years old, I realized that I was wasting my talent. I joined a new running club and decided that I would consistently run 80-100 mpw with the occasional 60 mile recovery week.

I started winning races for the first time in my life and this has continued ever since, with good support from my club. At 45 I feel the same as I ever did, but a lot fitter and more positive. I really enjoy racing against guys much younger than me. Last night I won another race, a 16 year old team mate gave me a really good race and I just managed to beat him.

A new wave of enthusiasm has swept through my club in the past two years and this year we are having exceptional results. It's good to feel a part of this enthusiasm and rivalry.

In this sport you are only as good as your fitness and self belief and this can be hugely influenced by those around you. Fortunately for me I have been in a good environment for the last seven years and I believe this is what we all deserve.

I was running for fun, entering races here and there, always the back of the pack, but I was having fun and didnt care. Since I was so slow anyway, thought Id see what all this Ultra business was all about. Trained for a 100 miler, all long slow miles, but a lot of them, and a funny thing happened, I got faster without ever trying. Did the hundred, then thought, what if I actually tried? like train with a program? followed Pfitzs plans to a BQ and BQd again at Boston. Went from back of the pack to usually placing or winning my AG at most races I enter, 10km, halfs, etc. So for me it was adding a lot of miles also that got me to the next level. Ive never got over 70mpw. I am comfortable around 60mpw, and thinking I might bump it up more to see if I can have another breakthrough.

I just started jogging and was stuck at 1 1/5 miles. For some reason, I couldn't get past that distance without killing myself.

One day, with the temperature at 100, I ran 3 miles. Nothing in between that 1.5 and 3, it just happened.

Laugh at that "breakthrough" if you want, but it was the breakthrough that made me love running.

Bryan D wrote:

I just started jogging and was stuck at 1 1/5 miles. For some reason, I couldn't get past that distance without killing myself.

One day, with the temperature at 100, I ran 3 miles. Nothing in between that 1.5 and 3, it just happened.

Laugh at that "breakthrough" if you want, but it was the breakthrough that made me love running.

One and one-fifth miles? What are you, a horse?

Went from 2:01 to 1:52 in the 800 in one season. The 2:01 was freshman year, did not run the 800 sophomore year. Junior year was the breakthrough. I don't remember the mileage or training changing that much, I just did it faster and learned to hurt more.

Sophomore year, I trained on a Schwinn Airdyne exercise bike and ran a 50.3 400. That told me I could roll. And by doing intervals on the bike like 20 x 1 min on, 1 min off at a very high intensity, I learned to deal with a new level of pain. That season was the key to having the confidence to go big the next year.

Junior year, the improvements came in chunks by anchoring relays and having to make up ground. I set my eyes on the runners in front of me and I knew I could catch them...no question. I was setting PRs by 2 and 3 seconds every time I ran the event.

Long story short...confidence, competition and learning how to suffer were the reasons I broke through.

Last year of HS. I was doing 1500m in 4:20 - about 5 in a row. And I did several 3000m in the high 9:30s.

For a few months I adopted CONSISTENT TRAINING. For the first time. 6 days a week.

I got a hamstring pull. Took 7 days completely off before the biggest meet.....

I did a 9:16!!! Huge PR. But wait, it gets better: The 1500m was later on the same day: 4:17.

I had learned the value of consistent training, AND of rest.

Later on, when I was in my late 20s-early30s, my 10k took a huge tumble, from low 32s to low 31s. This leap coincided with me RUNNING EASY ON "AEROBIC DAYS" instead of pushing the pace.

LVD wrote:

Bryan D wrote:

I just started jogging and was stuck at 1 1/5 miles. For some reason, I couldn't get past that distance without killing myself.

One day, with the temperature at 100, I ran 3 miles. Nothing in between that 1.5 and 3, it just happened.

Laugh at that "breakthrough" if you want, but it was the breakthrough that made me love running.

One and one-fifth miles? What are you, a horse?

Ha ha. Dang, I was thinking of 1.5 and 1 1/2.

Senior in high school.

Mile PR was 4:28 from sectionals one week prior.

Mile at regionals was stacked with the returning state champion and various cross country all state runners.

Ran even 65 splits the whole race (let the pack chase last years champ Aaron Fisher.) 8 second PR in a 1600 meter race. Not too shabby.

Hauled everyone(except Fisher) back in the last half mile and qualified for state.

All state in the mile. Not a bad end to a decent high school career.